All I Want Is That Magical Feeling: HP and GG
by musicmaineac
Summary: Welcome to our world. We are the tip of the top, the cream of the crop. The infamous elite of the greatest wizarding school in the U.K. This is a Harry Potter and Gossip Girl Cross Over but with original characters!
1. Gossipgirlowl

_A/N and Disclaimer: This is on other sites under the same name/my username! It is a Harry Potter story influenced by the amazing writer of Gossip Girl. The idea behind Gossip Girl is all Cecily von Ziegesar's and everything HP is JKR! I hope you like my OCs!_

_Disclaimer: All the real names of people have been altered or abbreviated to protect the innocent. Namely, me._

Hey people!

It's that time of year again. No, not Christmas, it's time to board the Hogwarts Express. Our letters have arrived, the Head Girl and Head Boy have been picked, and the countryside is beautiful. Forget those DADA assignments you put off for so long. Forget that date you set to go out for tea with your mum. And most of all forget that summer fling.

It's time to get back to what's really important. Shopping. No, I'm not talking about buying new textbooks and Potions ingredients, I'm talking about spending your parents' fortunes on the latest fall fashions. Go ahead and splurge on that three-hundred-Galleon fuchsia dragon scale clutch you've been drooling over for weeks in Diagon Alley. Or you could Apparate over to my new favorite place to shop till I drop, that ultra chic l'Alle Diagonale de Hibou. It's only across The Channel. And don't be afraid to get yourself a little something extra. After six years of schoolwork you deserve something special. How about a brand new wand from that Italian customized wand shop? Or a top of the line limited edition Firebolt Gold? I already had mine shipped from the states where the broom is coming out early.

So grab your BFF, the key to your daddy's Gringotts account, and slip on your new turquoise unicorn hair peep toe pumps by Marishka Maltin (you know the ex- Quidditch player) and get to work. I expect to see you all in Diagon Alley, or maybe even Paris. I promise to have a list of fall must-haves soon! Until September 1st.

**Sightings**

**HP** has been spending his whole summer with the **W** clan since his uncle had a heart attack. Could their house get anymore crowded? **G** and **HP** cuddling in a local pub. Are they back together already? Can't they make up their minds? **H** and the **future Mrs. W** shopping for the perfect wedding invites in the **Flourish and Blotts** stationery section. They look like they're getting along quite well considering their history. Have you seen the **future Mrs. W's** engagement ring? It's massive! I can't believe that her fiancé could afford it! **R** jogging around a nearby neighborhood for the billionth time. Is he looking for that blonde he recently hooked up with? Is **H** jealous? My favorite pranksters, **F and G**, running around **Hogsmeade** in their brand spanking new **Hi- Flyer** classic Beater-cut dress robes. Is there to be some competition for **Zonkos** this year? I hope so, I wouldn't mind seeing **F and G **around. **D** looking very tired on the corner of **Diagon** and **Knockturn Alley**. Is that a joint in his hand? Has **D** picked up a dirty habit, a dirty Muggle habit?

Well, you'll just have to stay in touch. Send me mail. I might clear up some rumors and maybe start some new ones.

You Know You Love Me,

gossip girl


	2. Wedding Bells and Annoying Boys

_A/N: Same disclaimer as previous chapter. By the way all the clothes, shoes, etc. with designer names that you have never heard of I made up. They are supposed to be wizarding designers! _

"C'est magnifique, n'est-ce pas? Mione found them in . . . euh . . . Flourish et Blotts," Fleur Delacour chirped in French and choppy English while showing Molly Weasley her wedding invitations. Her bright blue eyes shone with excitement as Molly took the invitation. "Zhey are my favorite color!"

"They're beautiful, Fleur. They're just so . . . so you!" Molly pressed her lips into a false smile. "So you" was an understatement. The custom Flourish and Blotts wedding invitations literally screamed Fleur Delacour. "They're awfully pink though, dearie. Are you sure that's what you want?" Mrs. Weasley herself wasn't a huge fan of pink. It clashed with her vibrant red hair.

"Very much zo, Mrs. Weasley! Zhey are exactly vhat I vant!"

It must have taken Fleur forever to pick out her insane invitations. The entire card was bordered with pink braid, and it flashed Bill Weasley and Fleur Delacour in pink sparkles along with pink wedding cakes, rings, confetti, and, every once in a while, a picture of the happy couple. The photograph was black and white except for Bill's tie and Fleur's hat, which were pink. Of course.

Before Mrs. Weasley could say anything more, Hermione whisked Fleur into the kitchen and began talking about the wedding cake from Forchesteur's Bakery.

"Harry and Ginny will be home soon. The three of us can go to Forchesteur's and make the final decisions on the decorations. You still have to decide on icing design and color and the cake topper."

Hermione had over-organized Fleur's wedding down to the last detail. In her new planner, she had the next week's events scheduled to the millisecond. She tugged on her Morgan La Fay tweed skirt (a birthday gift from Harry, with a little help from Ginny) while waiting for Fleur's response. She crossed her fingers in hope that Fleur would not mention Mrs. Weasley's reaction to the invitations.

"Oui, and we should take ze sample to Bill. He loves cake. Oh, and ze boys will get their fittings today. I must still decide on ties and ze pocket squares. And tomorrow ve vill go look at ze bridesmaids dresses." Fleur ran her hand through her bleached-blonde hair and played with her massive Talist engagement ring.

Hermione, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley had been preparing for Fleur and Bill's wedding all summer. Choosing table settings and selecting a location was more difficult that conjuring a Patronus. The three were finally getting along with Fleur, now that they had gotten past her obnoxiously bad English and constant need to help people. Her bad taste in some things, such as invitations, never seemed to faze them.

"Vhere are Harry and Ginny? Are zhey together? He is a nice boy vhen he vants to be."

"Yes and no," Hermione pulled a teakettle out of the cupboard to avoid talking about Harry and Ginny's confusing and unofficial relationship. Both of them had tried to move on after ending things for Ginny's safety, but the two had become closer than ever when Harry unexpectedly showed up at the Burrow mid-June after his uncle's heart attack.

Even more confusing and aggravating was Ron and Hermione's relationship status. Hermione had walked in on Ron making out with some local blonde bimbo. He had known for weks that Hermione was going to visit him, but he didn't apologize--she had been even more pissed off than when he had gone out with Lavender Brown last school year. Fleur and Ginny had been very supportive of Hermione, and the three of them spent weeks giving Ron the cold shoulder, sipping iced coffee, and buying gorgeous clothes by Merlina and Witchery in Diagon Alley. Suddenly, Hermione's thoughts were interrupted.

"Harry, make up your bloody mind!" Ginny yanked open her home's front door and raced into the kitchen with Harry trailing her. Harry tugged on his hair in aggravation and shoved his glasses higher up on the bridge of his nose.

Her mione glanced at Fleur before taking a peek at the door. "They're back."

"Yesterday you were all ready to pack your bags and leave for school. Now you're not sure! Stop changing your bloody mind!" Ginny yelled at Harry. She slammed her pewter-and-navy-blue Viridiahn purse on the kitchen table, then grabbed her light taupe Emeric Kostav flip flops and chucked them at her boyfriend. He ducked a little too late, and both shoes hit him square in the head. Ginny wasn't on the Gryffindor Quidditch team for nothing. "You're lucky those weren't heels, Potter!"

"Ginny, can we talk?"

"Go ahead, Harry, talk away!" Ginny banged a few cabinets open and brought out a shot glass and an open bottle of Gray Goshawk's Firewhiskey. The Weasleys' lives had greatly improved since an ancient and very distant relative died and left them several hundred thousand Galleons.

"Gin, that's not too good for you. Take it easy on the whiskey."

"Too bad." Ginny downed multiple shots in a matter of seconds.

"I told you, Gin, we're talking about school tonight."

"You know, Harry, you can make your own decisions."

"Yeah, but the wizarding world needs me, and I need peoples' input."

"Harry, you saved the world multiple times in school. Why can't you do it again?"

"Bloody hell, Gin! Why can't you understand?" Harry exploded.

"I'm not sure, Harry, but I know . . ."

"I love you, Ginny, I really do."

"Try telling me that when I'm not mad at you for once!" Ginny whacked her empty shot glass onto the kitchen counter, grabbed her flip flops and purse, jogged up the stairs, and slammed her bedroom door shut.

"'Arry, I think you should go try on your suit for ze wedding. Tell Bill ve vill stop by later, oui?" Fleur instructed. Harry quickly Apparated before Hermione could lecture him about Ginny, and Fleur continued. "Sacre bleu! How dra-ma-tic! Mione, go get Ginny. Ve vill talk to her on ze vay there."

"Gin, are you okay?" Hermione twirled a strand of her curly hair between her fingers. It wasn't every day that Ginny came home raving mad at Harry.

"I give up on him, Mione! Why did we even get back together?" Ginny rifled through a pile of clothes Fleur had bought for her. "He's impossible!"

"I'm going to sound like a terrible friend, but we've got to get going to Forchesteur's," Hermione fiddled with her silver-and-emerald square-cut Cassandra Triggs pendant. "We'll talk when we get there, okay? He'll come around and realize how crazy he was, treating you like that."

"Yeah. Just help me pick out something to wear."

Clothes had always been a favorite pasttime of Ginny's, and being the only girl in a family with seven kids had it's perks. Moments later, she strutted down the stairs in Stevey Madman wedge heels and an emerald green Arriman Q. sundress. Before leaving the Burrow, she attempted to take another shot of Gray Goshawk's.

"No! You're flagged, Gin. I don't want you to throw up on my Clyo Dena cardigan."

Ginny wasn't known for throwing up all over people. But hey, you never know what will happen when you're hanging out with someone who can't hold his or her liquor. Miss Granger, for example.


	3. Why Hello Daddy

Same disclaimer as before.

Draco Malfoy stepped out of Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions. He had grown over the summer and now sported a new jet-black robe with silk pinstriped lining. His mother had picked out the lining. She was the kind of woman that paid very close attention to detail. He couldn't tell the difference between a stripe and a pinstripe, so he didn't care very much.

A light breeze wove it's way through his platinum blond hair. He needed a trim. His mother would have her hair dresser, Bianca, stop by and cut it for him.

Draco searched through his deep robe pocket and pulled out a rolled joint. He'd picked up the habit over the summer, but only smoked to calm his nerves when he was about to do something dangerous for the Order. The Order. If someone had told him at the end of the school year that he'd be working for the Order of the Phoenix, he'd have laughed and jinxed them. That was before he had disappointed the Dark Lord.

Draco slipped into an alley and fumbled with his lighter. He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly. After only a few puffs, he squished the joint into the ground and whisked out of the alley. He had promised his mother that he'd stop once school started. He wouldn't need to, anyway. McGonagall had promised that this service would not be needed during the school year. She had asked him to concentrate on grades, friends, and protecting himself.

A pair of girls checked him out as he crossed the street. They couldn't be older than third- or fourth-years. Draco nodded and said, "Good day," as he passed them. The girls waved shyly and giggled. He was used to that. Girls liked his pale blonde hair and turbulent gray eyes.

He brushed the girls from his thoughts and concentrated on the task ahead. He crept into another alley, this time near Knockturn Alley, closed his eyes, and concentrated on visualizing a mouse. He began to shake all over and spun around and around. He was used to this now. McGonagall had trained him to be an Animagus and become a mouse, a small, inconspicious mouse. Perfect.

Draco scampered away, leaving his brand-new robe behind. He swerved between peoples' shoes and dashed toward Borgin and Burkes. He had been informed that a well-known Death Eater would be visiting the proprietor of the store. Draco was assigned to listen to their conversation and head back to Order headquarters. If necessary, he was to follow the Death Eater.

When a customer opened the door, Draco crawled into Borgin and Burkes. He raced over to a corner of the store where he would have a good view of Mr. Borgin and the Death Eater. The corner was dark, and his beady mouse eyes took a moment or two to adjust to the light. The bells tinkled as the only customer left the store. Mr. Borgin shuffled over to the door and hung a closed sign in the window.

"Good day, Mr. Borgin."

Draco's ears perked up as the presumed Death Eater spoke. He had heard that voice before. In the dim light of the store, he made out the towering shape of none other than Lucius Malfoy, his bastard of a father.

"Good day, Mr. Malfoy," Mr. Borgin's greeting only confirmed Draco's observation. His father hadn't been heard of since the battle at Hogwarts and now he was walking around Knockturn Alley in broad daylight! Draco slipped out of his hiding spot and his father snapped his head in Draco's direction. He froze, his heart thundering in his miniature mouse chest.

"You have mice," Lucius sneered.

"No I don't," Mr. Borgin sounded insulted.

"Then why did I just see one?"Draco sighed in relief. Maybe his father didn't know.

"To business, Lucius?'

"Yes. My superior sends his regards, Mr. Borgin."

"Tell him thank you and that I will always be in his service and debt."Draco listened intently.

"Now, a small package will be sent here. You are to send it to Hogwarts. We will send you an owl. Only use that owl, that is essential!" Mr. Borgin nodded in understanding, and Lucius continued.

"The person receiving it will not be aware of its sender or why he or she has been given it. They will know how to use it, though. Your payments will come in three installments. The first one will be by owl, the second one by delivery. The third installment shall be given to you on Halloween. You must be in Little Hangleton by nightfall. Go to the small cottage on the Riddle grounds. You will find your payment in the bushes to the right of the door."

Before Mr. Borgin could say anything, Lucius Disapparated. Draco scurried to a shadowed area near the exit. Mr. Borgin slid a drawer open, grabbed a cap from inside, and slapped it on his head. He picked up a cloak and left the store hurriedly. Draco dashed through the doorway just in time and, without looking back, ran to the alley and transformed.

His throat was dry and his head was clammy. His hands trembled and his heart pounded in his chest. He searched for another joint, lit it, and inhaled. He hadn't been this terrified before on an Order assignment. The thought of his father knowing about his presence scared him half to death. After extinguishing his joint, he exited the alley to head back to headquarters. As he turned onto Diagon Alley, he stumbled and bumped into someone.

"Watch it, Malfoy!"

He looked up and met the angry eyes of Fleur Delacour, Hermione Granger, and Ginny Weasley. He mumbled an apology, shoved a dropped bag into Hermione's hands, and stalked off.


	4. Drop And Give Me TwentyHundred

Same disclaimer.

Chase Rowley swept her gold-flecked hazelnut hair into a messy bun and shoved on a pair of aqua Cupid's Quidditch shorts. Her recently California tanned skin glowed against her stark white Adidas shorts and New Balance sneakers. Chase stepped onto the Quidditch pitch, inhaled deeply and tapped her oversized E. F. Channel sunglasses onto her nose.

"I want everyone to start doing laps. When I get back from checking on G, we'll begin twenty laps." Chase hollered to her fellow Quidditch players.

"Twenty! That's double yesterday!"

"I'll make it forty for you Whitemarsh!" Philip Whitemarsh snapped his mouth shut, grunted in reply and swung his Nimbus 4400 (forty-four hundred) over his shoulder. Philip was practically co- captain when he wasn't arguing with Chase or hitting on her. Chase had been the object of his affections since she had arrived from New York City two years before. Chase had stayed as far away from Philip as possible and had succeeded until she had been given the position of Quidditch Captain in her seventh year at Bronkleburst's Academy of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Timothy Bronkleburst had founded the academy in 1649 after leading his Quidditch team to a World Cup victory. Bronkleburst's Academy or Bronkle's for short had always produced the best and the brightest of American Quidditch. Chase and her teammates were not an exception.

Philip and five other players mounted their brooms and sped off to the pitch. Chase jogged over to a small set of bleachers where Gina Roberto sat throwing up in a trashcan. The petit Spanish chaser looked up as Chase plopped down on the metal seat.

"Feeling any better G?" Chase patted Gina lightly on the back and smiled sweetly.

"Not really chief." Gina attempted to grin back. Instead she leaned over the trashcan and threw up again. "I had one too many shots last night." The two girls giggled. The whole team had partied hard the previous night at the wizarding club Loretto to celebrate Gina's seventeenth birthday. Gina had hit the liquor extra hard.

"I want you to take this. It'll help a lot. My friends in New York sent me them, and they party a ton more than we do." Chase handed Gina a small purple tablet. "It will stop the headache and minimize the throwing up. Oh, and I want you to drink loads of liquids, water, Gatorade. Chill out here and if you want go into the locker room. I'll check on you ever half hour or during water break, which ever comes first." Chase leaned over and gave Gina a sisterly hug. "Take it easy G. We need you!" Gina popped the pill in her mouth and swallowed. Chase gave her one last smile and returned to practice.

Chase ran back to the pitch, mounted her Nimbus 4400 Flame and sped off towards her teammates. After five minutes and nineteen completed laps, Chase stopped. Keeper Ryan Tiltock rammed into chasers Andrew McKnight and Bryce Lyell. Philip collided with his fellow beater Cassie Schnyder.

"Don't you pay any attention to where you're flying?" Chase smacked herself on the forehead and lifted her sunglasses away from her face.

"So why'd we stop?" Cassie whacked Philip in the arm for flying into her.

"We are running the last lap." Chase flicked her glasses back on and tightened her hair band.

"You're kidding right? That's like a mile!" Andrew rubbed his curly blonde hair and shook his fist at Chase.

"Yes, I'm serious and no it's not a mile. It's two." Chase tipped her broom handle down and glided towards the ground. " Let's hurry up! I want to get some drills in before it starts to storm."

Chase halted in front of the pile of broomsticks and began stretching. Her heart thudded in her chest and her breathing was steady and rhythmic. Philip flopped down on the grass beside her huffing and puffing. He sat up and leaned on his elbows.

"Great run Chase." Chase rolled her eyes and tightened her bun. Philip pulled off his fire engine red Seattle Seawolves Quidditch tee and stretched out on the pitch. Philip enjoyed showing off in front of Chase.

"If you want to keep up with me, you'll have to run more often Whitemarsh."

"Why don't we have some downtime Chase, just you and me." Philip winked at Chase with his jade eyes and patted the grass next to him.

"Don't think you're getting off easy for that Philip. Get your beater stuff together and get ready for a hit around with Cassie." Chase kneeled down to tie her sneaker.

"God Rowley! You're provoking me!" Philip got up and chucked a hand full of grass at Chase.

"You wish Philip." Chase tossed a Bronkleburst quaffle at Philip. He struggled with the ball and eventually dropped it. No wonder he's only a beater.

Chase sailed towards the ground on her broom and hopped off. After a grueling two-hour practice, the entire team stumbled onto the field exhausted. Chase kicked off her sneakers and slipped on a pair of tangerine Éte Magic flip-flops.

"Great practice kids." Chase shook her hair loose from her bun and smiled at her teammates. "Let's keep up the hard work. I can feel another California State Quidditch Cup coming our way. Maybe even a national championship." Everyone clapped enthusiastically at Chase's comment and a few of the guys whistled. Bronkleburst's Quidditch team had been fantastic all along. But ever since Chase moved from New York City and joined Bronkle's team, they had been phenomenal. "Oh and...no practice tomorrow. I'll be leaving for New York. After that, I want Ryan to run practices. I'll be back in a week and a half." Ryan brightened up when he heard that he would be temporary captain. "Please treat Ryan how would treat me, with respect. Except for Philip. That would be kind of awkward. You harassing Ryan." Philip blushed and the entire team laughed.

"I didnt know you swung that way Phil!" Bryce poked Philip in the side.

Chase pulled up to the elegant Charlotte Skye Country Club and Golfing Facilities in her sea foam BMW. Growing up with a wizarding father and a muggle born mother had many advantages. She tossed her keys to the unattractive valet and hurried to her parent's pool side party in sleek cork Centaur Laundry wedge heels and a butter yellow Rag to Witches sundress. "Another dead boring evening with mom's muggle friends." Chase mumbled before entering the country club.

"Excuse me? Did you say? Oh never mind." A tall light strawberry blonde haired boy slipped out of the shadows by the country club entrance. Chase jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Holy crap!" Chase squealed. She tucked her ice white Kate Spade bag under her arm.

"God! I'm so sorry I scared you! It's just well, those old people in there are quite boring." The boy pushed his hands into this pocket and leaned back on his heels. Chase couldnt believe how cute he looked, standing there all embarrassed and polite.

"It's fine. What did you think I said?" The boy hesitantly replied.

"I thought you said muggle." Chase's head began to spin. Could she take a chance and tell him yes she had said muggle? Wouldn't that let him know that she's a witch? Could he be a wizard?

"What if I did?" Chase cocked an eyebrow and rubbed her chilly Quidditch toned arms. She had left her silk Kyper's wrap in her car.

"Well, I'm not sure. It's just I haven't really." He struggled with the right words for a moment. Chase noticed for the first time that he spoke with a slight English accent. "Are you familiar with Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans?" He blushed and crossed his fingers.

"I prefer Chocolate Frogs." Chase grinned and the boy let out a sigh of relief.

"So you really did say muggle?" He scratched his forehead and held his hand out to Chase. "I'm Connor Rheese by the way." Chase and Connor shook hands.

"I'm Chase Rowley. My parents are throwing a party here tonight. What brings you to this hell on earth?" Connor held the door open for Chase and followed her to the club's pool.

"I'm visiting my grandparents. They've dragged me here to one of these things every night so far." Connor adjusted the collar on his cornflower blue Hi-Flyer Casuals polo.

"And I thought I suffered! Where do you live then, if you're just visiting your grandparents?" Chase spied her parents in the crowd and steered Connor away from them.

"I live in England, but I was born in Pennsylvania." Chase grabbed a Cosmopolitan and sipped it. Now there were two good things about her parent's parties, free alcoholic drinks and an adorable English boy.

Connor walked Chase to her car after an evening of whispering about favorite Quidditch teams and occasionally kissing Chase's fruit flavored alcohol tinged lips. Connor had never imagined he'd meet the girl of his dreams while entertaining his mugglized grandparents for a week. The elderly valet handed Connor Chase's car keys. She attempted to snatch them from his hand. Connor guided her into the passenger seat, buckled her seat and sat down at the wheel.

"I want to drive Connor. It is my car after all." Chase pouted her lips and ran her pointer finger up and down Connor's bare arm.

"You're a little too tipsy for that. Not quite pissed though."

"Go that way Connor." Chase slumped down in her seat. "Turn here."

"I'd like to stay in touch Chase, once I go back." Connor followed Chases's directions.

"That's my house Connor." Chase clicked a button on the dashboard and the gates leading to the driveway swung open. Connor maneuvered Chase's BMW up the driveway and parked it in front of her sprawling California mansion. "You know Connor, can I call you Connor or should I call you Rheese like your friends?" Chase continued to speak. "If you write me a letter and address it to C. M. Rowley, your owl will find me." Chase opened her car door, Connor followed.

"What's the M. stand for?" Connor followed Chase into and around her house. Chase strolled into her bedroom and threw her car keys on her hardwood floor.

"You can sit down Connor." He perched on the edge of Chase's huge bed.

"You didnt answer my question."

"Do I have to? I hate my middle name." Chase mumbled from inside her bathroom.

"I'll tell you mine, if you tell me yours. I'll go first."

"Ok." Chase came out of the bathroom dressed in a fitted Raleigh Raider's Quidditch tank top and tiny Quidditch shorts with quaffles on them. She jumped on her bed and stretched out on her stomach. Connor turned towards Chase and tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"My middle name is Andren."

"I so have you beat! Mine's so much worse! It's terrible!"

"It can't be that bad."

"Oh yes it can!" Chase sat up and crossed her arms.

"You promised." Connor gave Chase a puppy dog pout and slid his arms around her waist.

"Oh! How can I say no to you?" Chase leaned forward and kissed Connor. "Alright." She tossed her hands in the air. "My middle name is...it's Marine." Connor stifled a laugh. "I know, laugh as much as you like. I must be the only person in the world named after a section of the United States Armed Forces!" Chase yawned loudly.

"At least you're not Air force or Army."

"I guess. It's in honor of my grandfather. He was a Marine in World War II." The clock in Chase's room chimed midnight.

"I'd better get going. I don't want things getting messy when your parents get home."

"Just sit and talk for a while." Chase crawled under her blankets and tugged on the belt loop of Connor's khaki Maltrope for Men shorts. Connor took a seat next to Chase on her bed. "When are you going home?" Chase yawned again and closed her eyes.

"In three days." Connor replied.

"Good."

"Good?"

"I'm going away tomorrow. To New York and then England. My cousin is getting married. I should get there about the same time as you"

"How long will you be there?"

"A week or more. My grandmother's sick, it depends on her condition. We can spend time together then. And...if I need a date for the wedding I'll ask you...that is if you want to go." Chase said between yawns.

"I'd go Chase."

"Where...do you go to... school?" Chase began to doze off.

"Hogwarts."


	5. Some Like It Black And White

See chapter one for disclaimer.

"Gin's impossible mate. I should know by now. I live with the girl." Ron attempted to tie his bowtie. A saleswoman trotted over to Ron and saved his poor tie. "If I were you Harry, I'd just send her some Chocolate Frogs and an apology note."

"What do you know Ron? You royally screwed over your relationship with Hermione." Harry glanced at himself in a nearby mirror. He didn't look half bad in a suit after all. Fleur wanted classy. And classy she would get. Harry looked dashing in his coal black Facio Ordo suit and Italian silk tie. Ron put his hands into his pockets at this comment. He ignored Harry and changed the subject.

"So... you like this color Harry?" Ron kneeled down and tied his black leather Sonya Torton dress shoes.

"It's nice." Harry grinned. He was enjoying himself. "Do you think Ginny will like me in this?"

" I don't know. Excuse me; I'd like to try that one on. Over there."

"Try this it's amazing!" Hermione pointed at one of the many miniature cakes the girls tasted. After their run in with Draco Malfoy Hermione, Ginny and Fleur had spent their afternoon picking out icing color, design, texture, type, flavor, etc, etc. The bride and bridesmaids exited Forchesteur's with full stomachs.

"Mione, let me hold ze bag. You are already carrying enough!" Fleur, Hermione and Ginny strolled past dozens of enticing stores towards the new boutique specializing in formal wear for men.

"Sacre bleu! Holy merde! Take it off Ron! Vite!" Fleur collapsed at the sight of Ron. Dressed in a fluorescent orange tuxedo with a matching tie, Ron looked absolutely ghastly. "Ronald! Change right zhis instant!" Hermoine and Ginny burst out laughing at Ron's terrible color choice. Fleur flung open a fitting room and marched Ron inside. "Zat! Zat is not vat you are vearing in my vedding!" Harry stood stunned, in the middle of buttoning his jacket. He had never seen her so...horrified. "Vith ze Weasley 'air and ze orange zuit. Too much orange!" Ron walked out of the fitting room in his clothes, a green distressed Weird Sisters tee and dark wash Grimm Brothers jeans. "Vhy did you try zat on Ronald?" Fleur was practically in tears.

"For...for...fun? Ron stuttered and gulped loudly.

"Don' t you know that red heads shouldn't wear that color?" Hermione questioned.

"Vell, 'arry you look very nice. Unlike some people." Fleur snuck a glance at Ron. "Ve vould like zhe black zuits zhey tired on si'l vous plait. Also ze bright blue ties." Fleur announced to the saleswomen. After scaring half the store to death, Fleur left to visit Bill at Gringott's with the small store in disarray.

Once Hermione apperated to the Burrow and Ron walked to Fred and George's store; Harry and Ginny were left awkwardly alone.

"Hey Gin."

"Harry." Ginny nodded to Harry and proceeded to leave the store. Harry chased after Ginny and followed her down Diagon Alley. Harry shoved his hands into his cloak pockets and fell in stride with Ginny.

"I was wondering Gin."

"Do I really care what you were wondering Harry?"

"Well no. But. Gin you look beautiful in that dress."

"I know. Don't tell me things I already know."

"Anyway, I was wondering if you would like to go out to dinner with me. On Friday. That'll give us both time to think and cool off."

"I don't need to cool off. Besides that's when Fleur's sister and my aunt, uncle and cousin are arriving."

"How about I take you tonight then?"

"I guess!" Ginny shrugged as if she didnt care.

"Oh thank God Gin! We'll go somewhere really nice. Maybe even in muggle London. I've got to go make arrangements." Harry was ecstatic and almost jogged off, but Ginny grabbed hold of his cloak.

"Before you run off, McGonagall wants you at headquarters as soon as possible."

"Thanks."

"Did anyone tell you who we ran into today?"

"No."

"Malfoy."


	6. Girls Shouldn't Like Boys Like You

Same disclaimer.

Ansley Kerr twisted her vintage diamond ring and wiggled her toes in her brand new phoenix feather Marc Banshee stilettos. "Who on earth told Misty Bandol that purple glitter looks good on her? It's doing nothing for her complexion." Ansley was born to critique other people's style and makeup choices. Literally. She was born to two of the most well-known and beautiful people in the wizarding world: Fredrick Kerr IV, multimillionaire and descendent of Timothy Bronklehurst and Rhea Kerr, famed fashion designer and descendent of Gringotts founder. So whom does she hang out with? Other multimillionaire witches and wizards of course.

Lacey Kim twirled her silky onyx hair between her slim index finger and thumb. "Who ever sold Zach those glasses should be shut up in Alcatraz." Lacey was also born into a family of privilege. The two had spent their afternoon draining New York City's wizarding stores of all their high quality and expensive fall fashions. "Can you believe Chase will be here tomorrow?" Lacey smoothed out her violet strapless Oskhar de la Remba cocktail dress.

"It's been two years since we saw her last. Insane, right?" Ansley swept her light butterscotch hair away from her face. "Do you think she's changed much? Do you think we've changed? Will it be awkward spending time with her?" She fixed the backs of her priceless Harriet Winsome diamond studs.

"We've all changed Ans. It's not like we haven't heard from her since she left. We send and receive owls every few days. And we always give each other gifts on birthdays and Christmas." Lacey played with her pristine string of pearls.

"God! What would I do without you Lace?" Ansley, Lacey and Chase had been best friends ever since Lacey had walked into Vicker's Academy of Witchcraft's first year Ancient Forms of Magic class mumbling in broken English and the occasional Korean. Ansley and Lacey had grown closer since Chase had moved. "Do you think he'll apologize? For you know, what he did?" Ansley peered at her on again off again boyfriend Heath Fordson.

"I hope not." Lacey swirled her martini.

"What?" Ansley snapped her head in Lacey's direction.

"Ans, no matter how many times you forgive him, he's never going to stop hurting you." Lacey gripped Ansley's shoulder and smiled warmly. "He's not right for you. Once summer's over, I'm getting you away from that low life. You deserve someone a billion times sweeter, like one of the hundreds of guys that worship you at Fleet's." Ansley smiled to her self. She had a habit of driving the boys at McFleet's Boys Academy of Wizarding mad. Especially when she sunbathed next to the small lake that separated the two schools.

"She was a third year." Ansley closed her sharp cerulean eyes.

"Doesn't that make you sick?" Lacey came form a conservative Korean family and looked down on many of the things that Heath had done.

Ansley and Heath had known each other since Kruger's Pre Witchcraft and Wizardry School. Everyone that knew the pair said they were meant to be together. Yet Heath had a habit of kissing girls that weren't Ansley. He even got Chase really drunk once and hit on her. Unfortunately, Ansley still had the image of them married happily in her head. No matter how many girls he kissed and how many times he forgot Ansley's birthday, Heath knew that he'd always have a place in Ansley's heart. He had definitely used that to his advantage.

Heath's latest screw up had involved Zoe Edwards, a third year at a cheap New York public wizarding school, South Street Wizarding Educational Center. The two had been spotted publicly displaying their affection in Central Park. The icing on the Cauldron Cake was that Ansley and Lacey had observed the vial act. The two were looking for a secluded spot where they could disapparate after a morning of pampering. Ansley and Lacey literally stumbled onto the couple. Heath and Zoe were huddled under the Fordson's heirloom Invisibility Cloak. Heath's pants were off and Zoe's bra and shirt were hanging onto a nearby bush. The four had stood and stared at each other until Ansley came to her senses. She tugged Zoe's clothes off the bush and grabbed the Invisibility Cloak off the grass. Ansley dropped her handbag on the ground, took the lid off her and Lacey's Astrobuck's coffee cups. She poured the scalding contents onto the bare chest of Zoe and Heath's face and upper body. After flipping off Zoe and Heath, Ansley picked up her bag, Heath's cloak, and Zoe's clothes and gracefully stalked off. Lacey had followed in total shock.

"I've got to go to Korean lessons. Come over and talk to Mrs. Delone. She'll keep you busy for the rest of the night." Lacey moved through the crowd of people in the penthouse of the Delones, a "new money" family involved in the selling of self-stirring cauldrons.

"I'm leaving at eight, I've got some last minute things to do before Chase comes and I am not getting up early." Ansley wasn't exactly a morning person.

"Leaving already Miss Kim? It's barely seven!" Mrs. Delone placed an orange arm around Lacey's shoulders. She sure loved to go muggle tanning. Lacey leaned towards Mrs. Delone and whispered something in her ear. " Oh. I won't let her out of my sight!"

A half an hour passed and Mrs. Delone had done a horrible job of paying attention to Ansley. She was too busy making small talk and gossiping with her guests, a Bloody Mary in one hand and a tobacco free cigarette in the other.

"Hey Ans." Heath Fordson crept up behind Ansley.

"Heath." Ansley answered coldly. She clicked her way over to the coat check.

"Leaving so soon?" Heath rubbed his hand over the silk ribbon of Ansley's black GBGC cocktail dress.

"I have things to do Heath." She thanked the man as he handed Ansley her robin's egg blue Avoir trench coat.

"Let's go talk." Ansley stopped putting her coat on. In all the time she had known Heath, he had never wanted to talk. "You want to talk don't you?" Heath knew Ansley wouldn't leave now. "Let's go in here." Ansley and Heath sat down on a brocade chaise in one of the Delone's guest bedrooms.

"What do you want to talk about Heath?" Ansley looked Heath directly in the eye.

"Where our relationship is headed Ansley." Heath gently took hold of one of Ansley's hands. She tried to pull away but Heath tightened his grip."I'm waiting for you Ansley. The question is, have you been waiting for me?" Ansley jolted up at this.

"That's such bullshit Heath! And you know it! It's no secret that you lost your virginity years ago to Quinn Rogers!" Heath shifted his cappuccino eyes away from Ansley. They both knew he was lying right to her face.

"It's different now. Ans." Heath brushed his lips across Ansley's cheekbone.

"How so?" Ansley crossed her arms and tapped her foot.

"It's seventh year this fall. I want to settle down, get grounded."

"I find that very hard to believe." Heath ran his cool fingers along Ansley's shoulders. She paid no attention but Heath sent shivers down her spine.

"I want you to be part of my life after school, Ansley." He brushed away Ansley's soft golden hair and kissed the back of her neck. "I still wear the necklace you gave me." Ansley turned around as Heath pulled a delicate chain from beneath his crisp white button down shirt.

"No apology?" Confusion flickered across Heath's face.

"For what?"

"What do you mean for what?"

"You're still holding a grudge about the other day in the park, aren't you?" Heath ruffled his perfectly groomed ebony hair.

"Yes! How could I not? How could you forget about it?" Ansley yelled.

"I didn't forget it! You gave me second degree burns Ansley!" Heath raised his voice.

"You deserved something more than second degree burns!" Ansley fought to remain composed.

"WOW! You really love me don't you?"

"You don't know what love is Heath!"

"Jesus! I should have stayed with Zoe!"

"She's trash, but so are you!"

"What the hell! I came here to get back with you Ansley!" By this time the screaming couple's argument could be heard throughout the Delone's home. All of the party guests had quieted down so they could hear what Ansley and Heath were arguing about.

"You weren't even going to apologize!"

"That's not true!"

"Yes it is, you said so yourself! You just wanted to get me in bed!" Ansley was practically hysterical.

"I was going to apologize eventually!"

"You never apologize!"

"Yes I do!"

"Wow Heath, once! You apologized because Lacey and Chase sent you Howlers!"

"Leave then!" Ansley quickly put on her trench coat. "Run away from your problems Ansley! They'll come after you!" She yanked her necklace from around Heath's neck, spit in his face and walked out of the room leaving a flabbergasted Heath behind. Mrs. Delone glided over to Ansley and kissed bother her cheeks.

"What did you do to the boy?" Mrs. Delone was stunned.

"Oh nothing too physically damaging, mentally yes. I'm pretty sure I'm the first girl to ever spit in his face. Thanks for a great party Mrs. Delone."

"Goodbye Ansley."

Ansley tossed the necklace in a nearby gutter after exiting the Delone's building.


	7. Every Girl Needs A Sweet English Boy

Same disclaimer.

"Miss, Miss?" Chase grunted in her sleep and attempted to swat away the high-pitched voice interrupting her dream. " Miss! You must get up! It's well past noon and..." Chase's head popped up.

"Shit! Noon! God Bitty! I'm such a dumb ass!" Chase rolled onto the floor and fought with the sheet clinging to her ankles. After kicking herself free, Chase banged and slammed drawers, closets, and trunks open. " How much time do I have?"

" About seventeen and a half minutes." Bitty, the Rowley's paid Houself whipped out a humongous pocket watch from inside her rubber duck yellow rain coat.

" Ok. I can make it. Can you get me some breakfast to go and get all my trunks out? Thanks Bitty you're a doll!" Chase leaned over and held Bitty in a bone-crushing hug.

" Miss, you're paining my arm." Bitty squeaked.

" Sorry!" Chase released Bitty and slid into her bathroom. After a quick shower and a handy drying spell for her hair, Chase rummaged through her clothes.

" Yes, no, yes, yes, yes, yes, no, yes, yes, no. I definitely need that! Can't live without that. Got to bring that. I can deal without that. I must give that to Ansley. Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, no, no, yes, of course." After many more yeses than no's, Chase dumped her pile of designer dresses, shorts, skirts, tops, jeans, heels, sandals, flip flops, handbags, clutches, jackets, sweaters, jewelry, accessories and Quidditch gear into her massive chocolate cherry Viridiahn trunks. She slumped down on the trunks with a sigh of relief. " I've got exactly two minutes and fifty three seconds to spare."

Chase skipped down the stairway leading to the kitchen in knee length khaki Lacoste shorts and a vintage yellow and blue Stockholm Seven 1940's Quidditch World Cup fitted tee. " Morning Mom, Dad, Cat." Family and friends had called Chase's little brother Bartholomew Cat since he was little. A fascination with felines at an early age had earned him the nickname and it stuck, even though he had strayed from kissable kittens to deadly dragons. Cat had a habit of attempting to buy dragon eggs on the black market. Chase's trunks floated down the stairs and daintily landed on the hardwood kitchen floor.

" Did you enjoy yourself last night?" Chase spun around and looked her mother right in the eye. " Don't think I'm absolutely clueless Chase. I saw how cozy you were with that English boy." Chase's mother Heather raised a perfectly waxed eyebrow.

" You should have seen your mother last night! All she wanted to talk about was that boy. And when she met his grandparents! I thought she would talk all night!" Chase's father Flynn flattened his salt and pepper hair.

" Get some coffee to go from Bitty. And double check your room for anything else you want to bring. We'll be leaving in a few minutes." Bitty handed Chase a mug and motioned for her to move closer.

" Miss. There is something for you on your desk. I didn't touch it, but I... figured you would want to see it."

" Thank you Bitty." Chase clattered up the stairs with coffee in hand.

Sure enough, Chase found a little something amongst her crumpled up Quidditch plays, schoolwork, photographs, books and quills. A single red rose and a creamy white envelope lay on top of parchment and wizarding fashion magazines. Chase whipped out her wand, 11.372 inches mahogany with a werewolf and unicorn hair center, flicked her wrist and placed the rose in the crystal vase now on her desk. The parchment rubbed gently against her callused hands. Written on the front of the crisp envelope in a messy scrawl were the words _Read when you miss me_.

"Chase! Ready to go?" Heather Rowley's clear voice rang through the entire mansion thanks to _Sonorus _. Even though Chase's mother was born into an everyday American muggle household, she had graduated first in her class from Bronkleburst's. Chase took one last spin around her room and shoved her tangerine painted toes into the Jenny Shoe white flats. She clambered down the stairs, grabbed her navy blue Bronkleburst's zip up hoodie from the kitchen table and slipped her letter from Connor in one of the hoodie's deep pockets. Chase looked up from her pocket, her parents and brother stared at her from the kitchen table.

" Let's go Chase! Get all your crap!" Cat yelled at Chase. Chase dragged and heaved her trunks over to the table and took a seat across from her dad. In the middle of the table sat a glass goblet.

" On the count of three, grasp hold of the goblet." Flynn counted. " One...two...three."


	8. Let's Talk

Same disclaimer.

"What do you mean he's on our side Lupin? He's a Malfoy! Malfoy's can't be Order Members! They're bloody Deatheaters! There is absolutely no way I am working with him! How do you know he isn't still working for Voldemort under your noses? Snape did it for years and you figured it out once it was too late! I suspected him for years! And would anyone listen to me? No! Everyone trusted Dumbledore's judgment on everything! And look where it landed him with Snape!" Harry threw himself with anguish on a nearby couch. After bumping into Draco Malfoy at Order Headquarters, Harry had spent the last hour trying to figure out why his archenemy was traipsing about Grimmauld Place.

"Harry, I'm trying to explain this all to you, if you'd give me some time." Remus Lupin ran his hand through his thinning hair and took a seat next to the livid teenager. Lupin had spent the last week gallivanting around England following leads on Deatheater's hideouts from Draco. "Once Draco and Snape escaped they spent weeks in a treacherous forest in Northern Germany. They were expecting rescue from Deatheaters or Draco's mother; neither came. In fact Narcissia was hiding in Yatley with muggle friends from her early childhood. After three weeks of living off berries, they didn't dare use their wands, and dirty water from a weak stream, Snape cracked. He began to beat Draco and torture him using Crucio. Snape also began casting bizarre spells and set the entire forest on fire. Luckily we found Snape and Draco before Snape could do any more damage."

"You expect me to forgive Malfoy after all he's done, just because he had a few rough weeks in Germany?" Harry threw his wand and Madame Malkin cloak across the room.

"No Harry. He has changed, not one hundred percent of course. We, the other members of the Order and I would like you to be at least civil to him. He spent the last month recuperating in Saint Mungo's and since he's been out, Draco has given us information that lead to the capture of ten Deatheaters. And earlier today he gave us information regarding his father! His own father Harry!" Remus played with his ancient Hi- Flyer robes.

"And what's he getting for all this? A free ride out of Azkaban?"

"Well no, Draco is not being charged at all. On the other hand, Snape has been charged with the murder of Albus, kidnapping Draco, passing on information to You- Know-Who and the use of two unforgivable curses."

"What about Malfoy?" Harry flattened his messy hair and scratched his scar.

"Does it hurt?"

"No. It just itches."

"Good. Well there is no evidence that can convict him of anything. He will be attending school this fall. His alibi will be that he was in St. Mungo's all summer. If anyone would like to go file snooping, we have false records planted that show Draco's improvement all summer.

"He doesn't deserve any of that," Harry mumbled.

"I know, but Minerva is Headmistress now. She'll do what ever it takes to protect her students." Harry nodded. "So will you at least be civil?"

"I suppose." Harry stared at the brocade slipcover of the ancient couch while he and Lupin stayed silent for a few minutes. "Is it true that there will not be as many students this year?"

Lupin shook his head. "Twenty five less new students and seventy five students from last year sent letters stating that they will not be attending this fall." Their conversation turned to more lighthearted topics.

"Has McGonagall chosen Head Boy and Girl yet?"

"Of course! Naturally Hermione is Head Girl."

"Did Ron make Head Boy?"

"No." Remus shook his slumped head again.

Harry stood up swiftly, " What? After all he has done for Hogwart's?"

"Sorry Harry, Minerva had to give all the students a fair chance and, well Ron's grades weren't up to par."

Harry scuffed his shoe on the worn wood floor. "Who made it then?"

"Connor Rheese, Ravenclaw I believe."

"Makes sense. He's a nice enough guy, don't know him too well though."

"So you're officially going back then?" Lupin's eyes shone with optimism.

"Yea, mainly for Gin, we had a huge fight and…" Harry quickly changed the subject before Lupin could ask too many questions. "So, what happens when I have Order work?"

"You will be excused from classes and the assignments that you have missed must be made up. No exceptions!"

"Even potions?" Harry cursed under his breath and kicked a nearby side table. "What about Quidditch?"

"That's a whole other situation Harry." Remus looked down at his tattered shoes and picked at his fingernails.

"I can still play. Can't I?" Harry's eyes glowed with disappointment.

"Yes you can still play, but the team would need a second seeker and keeper. This would allow Gryffindor to still function, even when you and Ron aren't…present."

"That's perfectly fine with me."

"Whether or not you play isn't the problem Harry. Minerva is still unsure whether she should make you Quidditch Captain."

"Captain wouldn't interfere with schoolwork."

"No it wouldn't, but it would interfere with Order work. And besides, it is not fair to your teammates if their Captain is rarely at practice."

"But I could work practice around Order work."

"If we get information on something big you could be away for a week…maybe more. Gryffindor needs a Captain that can be there at all times." Harry's shoulders slouched. "It's not final Harry. So don't give your hopes up you yet." Harry threw Remus a weak grin and grunted. Lupin clapped his hands and rubbed them together. "Now, to business. Minerva and I would like you Mister Malfoy to at least meet and maybe shake hands. He's in the kitchen, or at least he was." Harry reluctantly followed Lupin to the kitchen. "Draco, come say hello to Harry."

Draco turned around from the pots and pans he was washing by hand. Harry noticed how exhausted Draco looked. He had bags under his eyes and his ghostly white hair fell scruffily in front of his face. Draco stuck his hand out for Harry to shake and greeted Harry with "Potter." The two shook hands and Draco went back to washing dishes. He no longer sneered and he hung his head in defeat and mourning. Draco's eyes no longer seemed arctic and merciless, just uninviting and weary. What stunned Harry the most was that Draco had not acknowledged him by calling Harry one of his many nicknames, such as Scarhead. Maybe Draco Malfoy had changed.


	9. For The Love Of New York

Same as always.

"Welcome to New York City's National Port Key Center. To your left is the luggage pick up and drop off center. To your right is the port key return station. If you or one of your party members apperated here today and have been spliced, please wave down one of our security goblins. They will assist you and get you medical attention. Have an excellent day and enjoy your stay in New York." With a click, the perky welcome recording turned off and the voice echoed throughout the immense hall. A cozy couple strolled along the floor to ceiling windowed wall and goblins pushed carts laden with over stuffed suitcases. A flushed mother with a screaming child in one hand a hiccupping child in the other, hustled past Chase and her family.

It had been so easy. Why hadn't she grabbed hold of a port key before and been whisked off to New York? Chase gazed out towards the bustling street and dramatic skyline. The answer was right in front of her. No matter how beautiful the California coast; no matter how many Quidditch opportunities came her way, Chase knew New York would always take hold of her soul. The fluorescent lights and sleek steel were ingrained in her brain and the dirt of Central Park was trapped under her nails. That was the nitty gritty truth. There would be no turning back now. California, the team, Bronkleburst's was a thing of the past. Chase's fashion forward hometown held her future. She could feel it in her blood surging through her veins.

"Excuse me sir. Has the Rowley family arrived yet?" Ansley's seersucker a-line skirt designed by her mother swished around her fragile knees. She wasn't exactly the "ruff and tumble" type like Chase.

"Let me check the board." The graying man at the customer service desk shuffled a few papers around behind the counter. "Miss." Ansley pulled her eyes away from the checked marble floor. "They arrived five minutes ago. They should be receiving their luggage soon. Would you like me to point you in the right direction?"

"No thank-you, I know my way around. I have traveled through here many times before. Mainly accompanied by my father, Frederick Kerr." The employee's eyes widened.

"Miss Kerr are you sure you do not been anything? A drink, guide, anything?" He had quickly realized that standing in front of him was the daughter of his employer.

"I am fine thank-you." Ansley strolled away in her pastel flamingo pink Emeric Kostav kitten heels. The middle aged man starred at her skirt. Ansley was used to that, even if he was three times her age. Her Cupid eyelet lace tank top and pristine pearls completed her outfit. It was an extraordinarily hot day in August and the early shower had barely helped.

Ansley paused in front of the luggage center. She could hear Chase's giggle over the obnoxious recordings continuously played. She could make out Chase and Cat in the crowd. Cat had grown a lot since the last time they said goodbye, he now towered over the lean shape of Chase. He might even be cute, that is if his atrocious acne had disappeared. An unattractive goblin, then again all goblins are ugly, sped off to grab the Rowley's luggage. Ansley still did not move a muscle. A million thoughts flicked across her mind. Would Chase recognize her? Would their week together be awkward? Would it be difficult to say goodbye? Could she leave everything and join Chase in California? Heath would not follow her to the west coast. The return of the goblin caught Ansley's eye.

She took a deep breath, threw her hair behind her shoulders and walked up to Chase as quietly as possible in heels. Ansley wrapped her elegant manicured hands across Chase's eyes. The icy silver of her 'AKK' engraved bracelet pressed against Chase's cheek. Ansley's best friend ceased speaking. She spun around and clung to Ansley. The two girls sobbed into each other's shoulders. Cat and his parents stood to the side as the best friends reunited. Without a word, Ansley and Chase linked arms and walked towards the exit.

Sorry it is so short. I am trying to speed it up to get to England. Therefore there will not be a ton of stuff about New York.


	10. Night On, And Off, The Town

Same disclaimer.

Thank Merlin for Ansley's immense closet of shoes! Though Ansley, Chase and Lacey had owned diamonds from an early age, the three girls had always sworn that shoes are a girls' best friend; until of course Chase began to fly. A jealous classmate one told the best friends that they based their relationship on their shoe sizes. Though this was not necessarily true, having the same shoe size as each other does have it's advantages. Especially when Barnel and Bee's is closed on Christmas- like when Chase threw her brand new metallic Ruby Slipper's kitten heels at her brother and broke them.

Typical Chase.

Lacey tossed a fourth pair of heels on the cream duvet of Ansley's king size bed. The three girls had stood in front of Ansley's full size mirror and closet barefoot for over an hour. Ansley straightened the straps of her midnight blue sweet heart cut cocktail dress. She had once attempted to become a tomboy. Let's put it this way, it didn't' last very long; dresses are just too pretty!

"I think I'm going to wear the … um… the silver pixie wing peep toe shoes." Ansley was a little indecisive when choosing an outfit for an event; especially when Heath and his twin Forrester would be present.

Lacey picked up a pair of velvet black stilettos with unicorn hair trim and slipped her manicured feet inside. "Perfect!" All three girls admired Lacey's selection in the mirror. "The unicorn hair perfectly matches the cream color of my dress! Fantastic." Lacey liked to analyze everything.

Chase would have preferred to show up at the benefit ball in flip flops but Ansley had forced her into a crimson empire waist dress and gold dragon scale sling backs.

With a final touch of touch up on their makeup, not that they need it, the best friends apparated to Westery Nickels Hall, named after the first mayor of Magical New York. Chase had talked Ansley and Lacey, or in Ansley's case begged her, to attend a benefit dinner for a northern New York reserve for the endangered North American Snidget. Only Chase could persuade a few self absorbed New Yorker's into helping a Quidditch based charity.

Chase stirred the ice around in her crystal glass, damp with the remnants of her seltzer water. Why did she think this charity event was going to end up any differently than other New York charity events? How wrong she was. After spending half an hour of talking to an ancient expert on Quidditch, even though Chase knew everything the geezer said, Chase had lost track of Ansley and Lacey. She was busy watching her heels sparkle in the streetlight's glow streaming through the window when who would show up but none other than the charming Mr. Heath Fordson. Luckily, Ansley was no where in sight, and even if she did spy her ex with his sleazy new girlfriend, Ansley was excellent at keeping her cool. Or at least she was good at it last time Chase had seen her. Thank Merlin for Heath's twin, Forrester. At least he was polite.

"Chase? Chase Rowley? Could that really be you? I thought you swore off wearing heels and dresses years ago?" Heath ambled through the crowded room in Chase's direction. Unfortunately. His voice sounded syrupy sweet. A little too sweet for Chase's taste. "When did you get here? Yesterday? If I had known I would have been part of your welcoming committee." Chase wanted to throw up all over Heath's date's knockoff Stevey Madman T- strap heels. She chose to munch on an ice cube instead. Smart girl.

"We got here this morning. I have been so wrapped up in unpacking and catching up with Ansley and Lacey that well, seeing you had not even crossed my mind." Chase flashed Heath a sweet smile and popped another ice cube in her mouth.

"We? Is the entire Rowley family here?" Oh Merlin. Was he going to hit on Chase's mother again? Heath smirked at Chase and ran his hand not attached to his date's arm through his sooty hair. The girl accompanying Heath was practically shaking by now. Obviously she was not good with meeting new people.

"My parents and Cat are in the city but they are not at the benefit. I will let my mother know you wish to see her." A slight glint flashed across Heath's eyes. Chase knew him too well.

"Why don't we sit down? Your feet must be killing you by now Chase." Heath reached out his gray tweed Kohl and Knut's blazer clad arm and directed Chase towards an armchair. By then the two had been making small talk for about ten minutes and Heath had yet to introduce Chase to his date. Not that Chase needed any introduction. Her parents were famous enough. And the name of the trashy girl clinging to Heath was no secret to Chase. She knew perfectly well who the girl was. None other than Zoe Edwards, the third year who had some how seduced, or maybe it was the other way around, "respectable" Heath Fordson. What a pity Ansley would have to see his disgusting face during the school year.

Minutes passed and Chase saw no sign of Ansley or Lacey, only a number of high society women over forty who had attempted to squeeze themselves into dresses from their ten year old daughter's closet. Chase began to zone out as Heath droned on about the summer in the city and McFleet's when something shiny around Zoe's neck caught her eye.

"That is a lovely necklace you have. It looks like something I have. An heirloom piece, it was my grandmother's. May I see it?" Chase smiled at unsuspecting Zoe and held her hand out to inspect the necklace that was anything but an heirloom. Polite and quiet Zoe unclasped the necklace and placed the chilly jewelry in Chase's hand. That was too easy.

Chase knew exactly where she had seen the necklace before- around Ansley's neck. Heath had given her it as an extremely late birthday gift. It was beautiful, with an exquisite diamond in the middle surrounded by engraved platinum. A Cassandra Triggs original. Chase knew that Ansley had dropped off a majority of Heath's gifts at the Fordson's penthouse, to the surprise of the house elves, but never in a million years did Chase expect Ansley to return this work of art. To make sure the necklace was previously Ansley's, she flipped it over and read what was engraved on the back.

"That is so sweet. To my Care-bear. Is that what Heath calls you? Or is the necklace from someone else? If so, I am sorry I assumed." Chase let the necklace slide between her fingers and into Zoe's lap.

"Heath did give it to me. Yesterday actually, and he does call me Care-bear once in a while." Her voice was hoarse. Zoe gave Chase a weak smile and put the necklace back on. Yesterday. Ansley had dropped off Heath's items after their huge argument the night before. There was no way he could deny that he had re-gifted the necklace. What a looser.

"Here, let me help you with that Zoe." Heath reached up to assist his new girlfriend, or flavor of the week. He sent a glare in Chase's direction. He knew and that made the whole situation so much better. Just another reason why Ansley should hate Heath.

Ansley mingled with the over weight society women accompanied by their model grandsons while keeping an eye open for any sign of Heath. She planned on making his evening miserable, even if she dreaded seeing him. She could not wait to flaunt her tiny figure in her brand new Clyo Dena for Crystal Ball dress which made her already slim figure look even skinner. If that is humanly possible. Not to mention, flirt with Forrester, Heath's brother, in front of Heath.

She had heard some random women, with horrible eyebrows, commenting on how skinny she was earlier in the evening. Lacey had also overheard the women's tactless comment - "Miss Kerr has become exceedingly skinny since the catastrophe with that Fordson boy. I always suspected that she had some sort of problem with food. But now it is kind of obvious." The women had gone on to preach to her friends how horrible it was of Ansley to cheat on Heath with his brother and that she had broken her ex's heart. Ansley did not care that people believed everything printed in the _Bewitching New York's_ gossip column. She just could not comprehend why a dirt bag like Heath could just smile at gullible women and persuade them to see his interpretation of their breakup. Then again she had fallen for that same smile millions of times and she used the same charm upon all males. Lacey tapped Ansley's shoulder and whispered, "He is here." Fantastic. Now the fun and mind games would begin. She was very good at those.

Lacey and Ansley weaved through the crowd of people in the hall towards the leather armchairs where Chase has held captive. Just as Lacey and Ansley were about to break through the crowd and intrude upon Chase's conversation with Heath, Forrester walked up to Ansley.

He is such a sweetheart.

Forrester was a less intense version of Heath. With lighter black hair and sweet green eyes, Forrester was not exactly the bad boy type Ansley was drawn to, but she had found herself attracted to his excellent manners and love of art more than once since meeting him.

"I did not expect to see you here tonight. I thought you hated Quidditch." There was a smile in his soft eyes. He was ecstatic to see Ansley. Forrester had previously kept his distance because Heath would have hexed him if Heath knew his brother worshiped his girlfriend. Now that things between Heath and Ansley were officially over, it was safe to say that Forrester would waste no time telling Ansley that he loved her.

"Chase dragged me here. She will only be here a few more days so there is no point in ignoring each other." Ansley swept her lightly curled hair behind her neck and Forrester followed her as she walked towards Chase. Ansley plopped down on an ottoman opposite Chase and crossed her delicate legs, Forrester and Lacey sat near by and watched as Ansley angered Heath.

"You know Heath, your mother was pretty angry when I told her what happened to your Invisibility Cloak. What did I tell her again? Oh yes, that you had left it in Poland on your school trip. You are so lucky I did not tell her what actually happened to it. She would be repulsed. The idea of her baby doing that in public would make her sick." Heath clenched his teeth together at Ansley's remark.

"Seeing as you were the one that took it from me, I think she would be angry with you." Heath smirked at Ansley, he thought he had won.

"Not at all. I returned it to your mother. She was very happy that it had fallen into my hands." Ansley sent a provocative sidelong glance at Forrester. He blushed. How sweet. "After all. I was not involved in your PDA so why would she get mad at me? Your mother and I get along very well." Ansley took a sip of her martini and twirled the glass between her perfectly manicured hand.

"Unfortunately that is true."

"I see you have already re-gifted some of my things, Heath. I never thought you were that cheap." Ansley continued her rant without recognizing that she could possibly be hurting Zoe. "I always hated when you called me Care-bear. It was so tacky and not even sincere. That was a beautiful necklace though. I should have sold it instead of returning it to you." Ansley gestured towards the necklace around Zoe's neck with her right ring finger enveloped by a diamond ring three times the size of the necklace. Zoe's eyes became as big as salad plates at the sight of Ansley's ring, a birthday present from her grandparents when she turned ten.

Oh to be as rich as Ansley Kerr.

Zoe had not caught on that Ansley was hinting about her new necklace yet. Someone must have a brain the size of a troll's. Ansley continued to irritate Heath. "What are you going to do about the school year Heath? You will be at McFleet's and Zoe in the city? There is more than one temptation at school Heath. And you know that just as well as I do." Ansley arched her eyebrow and winked at Chase. Heath dug his nails into the leather of his chair. Ansley had one skill he did not. She could bring up his past without a blink of her brilliant eyes and enrage him. And this is exactly what she was doing now, bringing up the dozens of times he had made out with a girl other than Ansley during the past years. "How about you Forrester? Are you going to comfort your brother when he misses his little slut or will you come visit me next door?" Ansley gently placed her jeweled hand on Forrester's knee. At this act of seduction, Heath shot up from his seat, grabbed Ansley's wrist and dragged her to the exit of the hall.

"What the hell are you doing Ansley? You are being a total bitch in there! And in front of Zoe?" Heath exploded.

"You have never cared about my feelings than why I should I care about yours? I was being discreet anyway. She probably has not even realized you are gone by now or that I was talking about her!"

"You've never acted like this before Ansley."

"I had never noticed how sleazy you are before." Heath grabbed onto her wrist. Ansley simply shook her arm and Heath let go. He would never dream of physically hurting Ansley. Her father was scary enough when he was in a good mood. "You deserved everything I said. You do realize that every girl at Vicker's will know the truth Heath."

"Fuck those girls! They are just as fake as you are." Ansley turned away and sauntered towards the hall's door to return to her friends. "And don't even look at Forrester again bitch!"

"He is such a sweet guy. It is a shame he is related to you Heath. Otherwise I would not think twice about dating him."

The rest of Chase's stay in New York had flown by. Literally. She spent hours on her new broom. It consisted of partying with old friends, Ansley crying over Heath, shopping for new clothing and the like, Ansley mourning her break up with Heath, hours spent with old movies and Benny & Jay Jay's ice-cream, and Ansley crying over boys in general. The Rowley family left early a week later to visit their sickly grandmother and partake in a Weasley family wedding.

Merlin. Ansley wished she could just apparate over to England and stay there. Maybe she could. Maybe she would.

_Disclaimer: All the real names of people have been altered or abbreviated to protect the innocent. Namely, me._

hey people!

Wands down, there is no girl alive luckier than I am. While some people will be spending the last weeks of summer finishing, or starting, their Potions papers or buying new school supplies, I will be partying my skinny little but off at the best parties. Not to mention the **W** wedding! It is okay to be jealous of me. I hear that the gift bags will be stuffed with products from **F** and **G's** store and the latest beauty products from Avada.

Speaking of the **W** wedding, I just returned from Dorkin and Gabana's in Diagon Alley, which was closed today just for me, where I purchased my dress. I do my best to be modest, but the truth is that I look stunning in my dress. It is amazing how perfectly D & G's dresses fit a girls' body- especially when it is made just for me. The Himalayan blue and sweetheart cut are absolute perfection. And did I mention that it feels like heaven against my skin? Speaking of heaven...

**trouble in paradise**

Even though **B** and the **future Mrs. W** are perfectly happy, a few other **W** couples are barely hanging on. **HP** and **G's** relationship seems to be over on account of **HP** being clueless. After their multiple arguments and the start of the school year closing in, it seems like the perfect couple have given up on their love for each other. Will they ever get back together or is **G** too stubborn and **HP** too blind to realize anything? Let's not forget **H** and **R**. It looks like their passion for one another fizzled out before anything happened between them. **R** has been messing around with other girls and **H** is just plain aggravated. Maybe things will mend themselves once **H** and **R** return to Hogwart's.

**the long awaited list...**

I promised that I would write up a list of must haves for the school year, or at least the fall semester, and here it is.

1) The Firebolt Gold, personalized if you can get your manicured hands on one, is the absolute must have for all Quidditch players. With its sleek new design and top speed of about one hundred kilometers an hour it is the perfect broom for any level of flyer. Whether you plan on going pro or just want to empress the boys with how pretty you look on the new broom your daddy just bought you.

2) A new wand from La Bacchetta in Rome or their boutique in Brighton. All of their wands are handmade in Italy and it is just like good ol' Olivander's just more upscale. Ebony is the wood of choice this season and wands always look extra special engraved in silver. A beautiful new wand is especially important if you plan on traveling this season.

3) Multiple pairs of killer black heels, pointy or rounded toe. As seventh years we can get away with breaking more than a few of the rules. I know I am sick and tired of wearing clunky loafer style shoes designed just to make our shins look fat. So bring a dozen or so extra pairs of sexy and sophisticated heels and throw out your gray knee high socks!

4) Out with the OWL in with the new. Yes, yes I know pretty much everyone in the Wizarding World owns an owl or two to carry their mail. But, who needs an ugly owl when you can have a miniature Abraxan winged horse. I already have two of my own and they are oh so precious. At about the size of a kitten these sweethearts are all the rage in Paris and will not bite your fingers off like an owl.

5) Anything and everything exotic is in this year. Trade in your last year's leather Abott and Abott boots for handmade dragon-hide and silk pumps from Fiji. Oh and don't forget to pick up a pair of bamboo and Diricrawl feather Hindi (a muggle religion for those who do not stay awake during Muggle Studies) inspired sandals from Hindi & M; a must have for lounging by the lake.

My list could go on forever but I figure I'd better not make you anymore jealous of me.

**your o-mail**

Q:Dear GG,

My friends are absolutely no help! I have been having a lot of arguments with my girlfriend lately. We mostly argue about school and recently we decided to officially end our relationship but I am still madly in love with her. How can I stop thinking about her? Was I wrong to breakup with her?

- Dateless and In Denial

A: Dear DaID

Do I really need to spell it out for you? I guess I do. Find another girl. You do not have to get married to her or get each other's names muggle tattooed on your arm or anything. Summer is almost over so have yourself one last fling. Maybe we can meet up during the school year if you are cute.

- GG

Q: Dear GG,

As a Hogwart's alum I expected at least an invite to the **W's** wedding shower. I have known the family for ages and did not even get a notice that **B **and the **future Mrs. W** were getting married! It is going to be the biggest wedding of the year! How can I score an invite to the wedding? Or at least the reception?

- Social Outcast.

A: Dear SO,

Although I cannot get you an invitation I can promise you that you are not the only social outcast. I of course have been invited to the über exclusive wedding but you will be among the majority of the Wizarding World not going to the soirée. My advice for you is pick up next weeks Witch Weekly and mope with your friends. Maybe I will send you a piece of the wedding cake.

- GG

**sightings**

**HP** waiting outside of Le Canard for three hours waiting for **G** to show up. Did he really think she was going to show up? He is thicker than I thought. We still love him though. **G** curled up on a friends sofa in new Hermes sweat-suit. Obviously shopping does not always make a girl feel better after a break up. Extremely pissed **F** and **G** out drinking with **B**. With only a few more days as a bachelor, brotherly bonding is of the utmost importance. The **future Mrs. W** and **H** making some last preparations for the big day at Flourish and Blotts. **H** is working herself to death for that veela. She is going to need a vacation from her vacation. Broom trip anyone?

It is going to be a hectic last few weeks of summer. I expect everyone to party hard and still look beautiful in September. It is getting late and yours truly needs her beauty sleep. I promise to describe all the drama that goes on at the W wedding. With **HP**, **R**, **H**, and **G** all in the wedding party how could there not be drama?

You know you love me,

Gossip Girl

"They will be here any second! George, Fred, whoever you are! Quit standing around and do something useful for once! Move the armchair away from the fireplace. Is the food ready, they are bound to be hungry!" Mrs. Weasley rolled up her sleeves and waved her wand around attempting to make the house cleaner than it already was. She had spent the past two days preparing for the arrival of her brother and his family. Everything was ready for the wedding, every detail down to the color of the candles used for the reception. The Weasleys would actually have a few days to relax before the rehearsal dinner and ceremony.

Ginny and Hermione stood off to the side sipping iced coffee, Ginny had made hers into a cocktail, even though it was barely two thirty in the afternoon. "Who is arriving again?" Hermione knew of course, she just did not like the awkward silence. Ginny had not said much in the past week since she officially broke things off with Harry after skipping their dinner date.

"My cousins, Chase and Cat, and their parents, my Aunt Heather and Uncle Flynn." Ginny answered coldly and became silent again. Her gaze moved towards the stairs leading upstairs. Harry and Ron would be down in a few minutes to meet the family.

Hermione felt awkward again and attempted to start a conversation with her best friend once more. "How are you related to them?" She slid her feet in and out of her D&G flip flops.

"My mum is Uncle Flynn's sister. She is his younger sister." Ginny took a sip from her cocktail and licked her lips which were slathered with W.A.C lip-gloss in Georgia Peach.

"I bet they have that wild Weasley hair." Hermione could wait until the Rowleys arrived. Maybe then the house would not be so quiet.

"No. Chase has brown hair, like my Aunt. Cat had strawberry blonde hair, but it never has like ours. Uncle Flynn's hair is gray now. Chase is brilliant at Quidditch though." Finally! A topic Ginny might actually want to talk about.

Or not. Seeing as a certain Mr. Potter also plays Quidditch.

Mrs. Weasley marched into the kitchen, grabbed Ginny's glass and drank the rest. "Gin be a dear whip me up one of these will ya love." Ginny slunk over to the kitchen counter as Harry and Ron came clomping down the stairs. In a matter of seconds the entire extended Weasley family were crowded around the kitchen table. No one said a word. Between the stress of the wedding and the mess of Harry's and Ginny's relationship, no one wanted to talk. A few minutes passed until the sound of a vase crashing to the floor broke the silence.

"Merlin! Damn armchair." Thunk. Something hit the leather armchair next to the fireplace.

"Chase watch your language!"

Mrs. Weasley shook her head. "Fred I thought you had moved that."


	11. Someone Old, Someone New

Same disclaimer.

"It's not my fault! Stupid thing!" Chase whacked the worn leather armchair again. A little upset about leaving New York, Chase continued to take her anger out on the chair. A sound from the doorway caused Chase to stop beating a hole in the leather. George stood in the doorway with a scowl on his face, which was very rare.

"That's my favorite chair. It would be greatly appreciated if you didn't put a hole in it." George shook his pointer finger at Chase. "It is not polite to ruin your hostesses' furniture."

"Now I have another reason to kick your armchair."

"You have anger issues don't ya?" George messed his cousin's hair up before pulling her into a tight hug.

"You really think I wasn't already aware of that?" The rest of the Weasley family piled into the living room. It was a little difficult considering the amount of luggage brought by the Rowleys.

Ginny stayed off to the side for as long as she could. She loved her cousins and had always enjoyed spending time with them. Especially Chase. Chase had made her the quidditch player she was today. Ginny owed her spot on her house team to Chase. No matter what though, Ginny had always envied Chase. It was only natural. Ginny had watched Ron be miserable because he had to wear hand-me-downs and use an out of date broom. It was not fair that Chase and Cat had everything they wanted and more. Ginny had admired Chase for her fantastic grades, lifestyle, looks, and skills at Quidditch. But she was also jealous of Chase for the same reasons. Not to mention her cheery attitude and the way boys flocked to her.

Ginny knew Chase would catch Harry's eye. From her silky chestnut hair and long legs, to her easy going attitude and love of Quidditch, Chase was all Harry could ever want in a girlfriend. Ginny would keep an eye Harry. She would not let her cousin break Harry's heart. Ginny straightened her shirt and placed her glass behind a bookshelf before greeting her family. Her Aunt Heather did not approve of underage drinking.

"Girls we have about four hours until the ceremony! Come eat some breakfast!" Chase groaned at the sound of her aunt's voice. Her head pounded as she tugged her Egyptian cotton Pottery-castle Home duvet cover over her head. Chase rolled off the couch in Ginny's room. She, Hermione, and Ginny had stayed up the night before after the rehearsal dinner chatting about boys and school and fallen asleep on the couch. The ailing Grandmother of Chase and Ginny had come up often. Both families had visited the woman's home in upscale Kensington the day before. Chase's parents mentioned moving into the large home for the rest of the summer. Chase wasn't too happy to hear about that. Ginny and Hermione began to wake up and shuffle around on the couch. Chase pulled on a pair of Cupid Quidditch shorts over her In- T- Mate's boy-shorts and skipped down the stairs. Chase landed on a kitchen chair with a thunk and Mrs. Weasley handed her a mug of coffee.

"Where are Gin and Hermione, love?"

"Upstairs I guess. What time do we have to be at the church?" The sound of stampede came from above. "I'm thinking the boys are up."

"Move out of the way! Bloody hell Cat!" Fred snatched a muffin out of Chase's hand and sat down next to his cousin. In a matter of seconds, the entire kitchen was overrun by boys. The conversation automatically switched to Quidditch. That happened a lot since the arrival of the Rowleys. Lucky for Ginny, Harry had barely noticed that Chase was a beautiful girl. He was too busy drooling over her five brooms, including a personalized Firebolt Dust 7000, one of only five in the entire world.

"You do have a date for the wedding? Correct? If you don't I know a whole bunch of my mates who love to escort you C!" George flung a grape at Chase's head. A few days before, Chase had visited her cousins' shop and met more than guy interested in something other than her looks and charm: her bank account.

"Of course. Remember! Connor is going with me."

"Connor who?" Harry's head popped off the table, where he had been napping, at the mention of Chase's date.

"Rheese."

"He is Head Boy this coming school year. Ravenclaw. I guess he's brilliant." Harry was still angry that Ron had not been given the honor. There was sarcasm in his voice and Chase could detect it.

"Whatever." She reclaimed her muffin and headed upstairs to change. It was going to be one hell of a day.

"You may now kiss the bride." The petite clergyman, a wizard of course, clapped his hands as Bill leaned in to kiss his adored Fleur. Mrs. Weasley's sobbing could be heard over the guest's clapping. Chase stood up along with everyone else as Fleur and Bill turned to exit the church. Hermione motioned towards the rest of the bridesmaids to help Fleur with her train. It took all four bridesmaids, Hermione, Ginny, Chase and a friend of Fleur's from school and her maid of honor, sister Gabrielle, to safely get Fleur down the aisle with her one thousand galleon gown intact. As Chase assisted Fleur, she caught a glimpse of Connor waving to her from the groom's side of the church. She could not believe how adorable he looked in his Mucci for Hi-Flyer suit. Her mother had been thrilled to see Connor again, even if they were in England and would be leaving in two days. Harry on the other hand did not seem to be too happy about Connor being at the wedding. Hermione said it had to do with some school related thing.

Chase gave Fleur a huge hug but in the back of mind, all she could think of was getting her heels off. She had hid a pair of flats, made of the same fabric of her dress, under her seat where she would sit for dinner. Oh and having a little, well a lot, something to eat.

The reception was absolutely amazing! The lights were dimmed and the romantic tones of a string quartet resounded through the room. Chase slipped on her blue flats which matched her Badgley Mystical silk strapless dress. She had spent half the evening eating, drinking, and socializing with the rest of the bridal party. Not that she had any problem chatting with Ginny and Hermione, who Chase adored, but a few of Bill's friends creeped her out a bit. Maybe it was the champagne?

Connor had endured the never ending lectures of Mr. Rowley and answered each of Mrs. Rowley's questions like a respectable gentleman. He had finally caught Chase's eye and motioned towards the corner of the dance floor where a small sofa was shoved up against the wall. Chase excused herself and practically ran towards Connor's seat. He gently grabbed her hand and lead Chase to the secluded area. After giving her a quick kiss of course. He hoped no one noticed. Chase curled up next to Connor and placed her head on his shoulder. He smelled like Ivory soap and clean clothing.

"Did you get a chance to read my letter?"

"No. Everything has been so a mess! Just plain crazy!" Connor's smile drooped a little. Chase kissed Connor on the cheek before he could become more depressed. "I did put a charm on your rose so it will never die."

"Really?" Connor smirked slightly. A very cute smirk. Chase played with Connor's Harriet Winsome platinum cufflinks while ranting about New York.

"He can be such an asshole! Well. That he is how is pretty much all the time."

"Who?"

"Ansley's ex-boyfriend. Heath Fordson. Don't you have a few extra sweet English friends I could hook Ansley up with? She needs someone with class."

"Unfortunately all my mates are too busy with Quidditch or have their noses stuck in a book."

"That is fine. Ansley likes to read. As long as the book has nothing to do with mummies. We had to study them during our Ancient Egypt section in Muggle studies. Ansley ran out of the room she was so grossed out!" Chase was giggling like crazy when Ginny walked over.

"Your mum needs to talk to you. She's over there with your dad. Good luck Chase. They look pretty angry. And I think they are a little pissed. That does not make for a good combination. Chase kissed Connor again before sauntering off towards her parents. Cat was with them and he did not look too thrilled.

"We just got an owl from St. Mungo's."

"What?"?

"It is the local wizarding hospital."

"Oh."

"Grandmum is not doing so well."

"And we decided that someone should move in with her. Maybe it will only be temporary. But. Mom and I are going to be here for work anyway. So, tomorrow Mom and I will enroll you in Hogwarts. Later in the school year you can both transfer back, as long as Grandmum is mentally stable." Cat looked at Chase. Chase looked at Cat. No matter how her father worded it, the point of their conversation would be the same. No more California.

"But I am Captain this year." Chase spoke first. She dug her manicured hands into her palms.

"There is a school team at Hogwarts. Four actually. One for..." Chase cut her dad off. She had heard about Hogwarts about a billion times.

"But I am Captain. Does Captain mean anything to you? I know it means a whole hell of a lot to my teammates."

"You are not to curse at your father. Do you understand me." Chase's mother gripped Chase's wrist tightly.

"You are being beyond ridiculous."

"Actually. I am being perfectly reasonable." Chase's father ran his hand through his white flecked hair. His Harriet Winsome wedding band glinted in the dim light. "What do you think Cat?"

"I hate California." Chase whacked him on the forehead. She knew Cat would seize the chance to leave California. No matter the consequences. "Bitch." Chase grabbed the wine glass in her mother's hand and gulped it down. There goes her evening.


	12. Let's Get Away

Same disclaimer.

Ansley wrapped her fingers around the menu as she scanned the list of soups. The window that she was sitting next too looked out on to one of the exclusive Hamptons beaches. A light breeze tangled her hair and carried with it the smell of the Atlantic Ocean and giggles of children accompanied by their nannies while their parents were at one black tie event or another. Forrester reached across the table and smoothed a messy section of Ansley's hair. She blushed and looked down at her brand new Cupid's strawberry ice wedge heels. She had not truly blushed in what seemed like ages.

It had been Forrester's idea to take a day trip to the muggle Hamptons. He had sent Ansley an owl the previous morning.

**Ansley,**

**I am sick and tired of the city I cant breath in this damn stifling summer air Want to go a trip away from all this so called magic**

**Forrester. **

Heath had never written her little notes or taken her somewhere other than the local pub in the village near their schools. Forrester never called her Ans. She hated when Heath called her Ans. Only Lacey and Chase could call her that. She loved that when Forrester wrote really quickly he forgot to add periods and apostrophes.

Forrester asked the waiter for the check as Ansley took the last few sips of her lemonade which she had decided was not half as good as Butterbeer. Ansley starred at Forrester. There was still a little sand in his hair from the beach and his cheeks were stained with sunburn.

How cute!

After Forrester had payed, he and Ansley left the restaurant hand in hand. They had spent the day at beach eating melting ice-cream cones and riding rented bikes along the shore. Even though Ansley had been unsure at first about dating Forrester, she knew that she couldn't be happier. Well no. That was a lie. Ansley had seen Heath with Zoe again a few days before. She was as much of a slut as last time Ansley had bumped into her. And of course Heath had not changed. He had still winked at Ansley when she walked by, even though he knew she was dating his brother. He still had that same smirk on his face that said "I know you still want me". And that was true. Ansley still wanted Heath. No matter how amazing Forrester was, Ansley still would take forever to get over Heath. She had run to a near by bathroom and threw up after seeing Heath and Zoe together. She almost ruined a pair of Stevey Madman violet unicorn hair peep toe flats.

Ansley's mind wandered back to her bedroom at home in New York. Forrester stayed quiet for most of their stroll. He could tell when Ansley just wanted to think. This gave her time to think about her plans for the fall, and how to explain them to Forrester. Her bedroom had been invaded by suitcases the day before she left for the Hamptons with Forrester. Ansley did not want to listen to the other girls talk about her break up with Heath in the halls. She knew they would blow it out of proportion. She did not want to see them point at her and whisper about how she hooked up with Forrester to piss off Heath. She did not want to spend another year apart from her best friend, especially since she needed her the most now. She did not want to throw up anymore after seeing a happy couple or Heath and Zoe. But most of all Ansley did not want to hurt Forrester.

Ansley had made her decision the night she got an owl from Chase explaining where she would be going to school in the fall.

_Ans.This sucks. We are staying here until Grand-mom gets better. Which is basically never. This sucks. I am going to be going to school here. As in England. Not back home. Save me please. At least Connor is here. Chase. P.S Come visit me. Pretty please. I will buy you shoes. _

Chase's letter had the Weasley's address written on it so she would have no problem getting there. It was the whole telling Forrester thing that was the problem. By then Ansley and Forrester had walked down to one of the beaches. Ansley sat down, dug her feet into the cool sand and pulled Forrester onto the sand. Forrester now squinted because he refused to buy a pair of sunglasses. His reasoning was that, "I have a perfectly good pair at home." If only Ansley could be practical like that. But no. That girl can never have enough shoes.

Ansley grabbed hold of Forrester's wrist and played with the bracelet his cousin Maddy made for him. "I need to tell you something."

"Okay." Forrester furrowed his eyebrows. He knew this was not going to be good.

"I don't want to go back to school this year. Between everything that has happened this summer and not seeing Chase anymore, I feel like I have become an emotional and physical wreck."

"You could never be a wreck Ansley. You always have everything under control and you always look beautiful." Forrester looked at Ansley as he said this. He is too cute.

"I don't want to listen to all the gossip this year. And you know it will be there. No one will try to hide it from me. I just want something new. Away from New York. Chase sent me an owl." Ansley pulled the note from Chase out of her pocket. Forrester scanned it quickly before folding it and placing it in his Hi-flyer polo pocket.

"I will miss you. I understand though. Your mom told me about how you get sick after seeing Heath and Zoe. I would too. If you ever need to talk to someone, well I know this is going to sound cheesy but, you know where to find me." Ansley laughed at Forrester's remark and kissed him. She would miss him too.

Ansley sighed loudly. "Thank Merlin we got that over with. I really need something with a little alcohol in it to drink." Ansley stood up, straightened her classic navy cashmere tee shirt and helped Forrester up.

A/N: I hope you liked it. I wrote it quickly. I hope it is not too fluffy. I did my best to make Forrester understanding and sweet without being cheesy. And I hope I did well with showing how Ansley is feeling. Feedback would be lovely! Sorry it is so short! The next one will be way longer.


	13. Welcome To Our Home

Same disclaimer.

Ansley adjusted her strand of fresh water pearls and paced in front of the door. She had knocked multiple times but no one had answered the door. Her feet were tickled by the long grass and a loud crash came from inside the house. Just as she was about to knock on the door once more, it swung inward and a woman with crayon orange hair appeared. Ansley had seen enough pictures of Chase's Christmas trips to England to know that this was none other than Mrs. Weasley, Chase's aunt.

"Dearie come in come in. Do not let the chaos scare you off. With ten people staying here at once, things can't help but get a little crazy!" Mrs. Weasley picked up a few of Ansley's bags and motioned for her to come inside. "Now love. Because my twins, Fred and George, have left now that the wedding is over, there is an extra bedroom. You and Chase will share that one. I already cleaned it so none of Fred and George's crazy concoctions will be laying about." Mrs. Weasley turned around and flicked her wand so that Ansley's twenty or so bags and trunks followed them upstairs. "Goodness dear! You brought a lot with you!"

"I assumed that I would not be going home until winter break, so I brought as much as possible with me." After climbing what felt like a billion steps, Mrs. Weasley stopped in-front of a door and kicked it open. Ansley winced as Mrs. Weasley dropped the bag that held her most prized possessions on the ground.

"Everyone else is outside playing Quidditch. I bet you are famished from your journey. If you follow me to the kitchen love I will whip something up for you and talk about your schedule for the next few days." Food and schedules? Ansley knew she was going to get along swimmingly with this woman. Ansley over organized things every once in a while, which was pretty much all the time. "Oh! I haven't given you a welcoming hug love. Come here!" Mrs. Weasley enveloped Ansley in a warm hug that smelled like yeast and rose water. No wonder Chase loved her aunt. "You may call me Molly if you like or Mrs. Weasley if that is more comfortable for you. Also, Chase explained to me your situation and I understand completely so never feel like you are not welcome here." Mrs. Weasley tapped Ansley on the tip of her nose and headed for the kitchen. "Is there anything you are hungry for dear?"

"No. I am not a very picky eater."

"Wonderful. We will have a little meat on your bones in no time then." Mrs. Weasley flicked her wand and flour and eggs came sailing out of the kitchen cabinets. "I spoke to Hogwart's Headmistress, Professor McGonagall, about your enrollment. She said your father sent the school a check for a significant amount of money. A few thousand galleons if I am not mistaken." Ansley blushed. Her father seemed to think money could solve any problem. "The Headmistress sent him a note to thank him for the contribution. She also said that Hogwart's would have accepted you with or without your father's generous donation." Ansley attempted to get a word in but Mrs. Weasley continued to talk a mile a minute. "You, Chase, and Cat will be sorted with the first years at the beginning of the term. I have a list of books you will need for the school year. Hogwart's created you a schedule based on the classes you have taken previously at your old school. Tomorrow we will be taking a trip to Diagon Alley to purchase everything for school. You will be able to make a withdraw at Gringotts then if you like love." Mrs. Weasley handed Ansley a freshly baked blueberry muffin as Ansley slipped her feet in and out of her sky blue Stevey Madman ballet flats.

"Did you see that dive Chase did? It was bloody brilliant! Can you teach me to do that?" Harry's voice echoed as he and the rest of the Weasley clan traipsed into the kitchen. All six of them were damp with sweat and smelled of broom polish and cut grass. Even Hermione had been persuaded to play, just to make the teams even. The group dropped their brooms on the kitchen floor and continued to chat about their mini game until Mrs. Weasley sneezed. Chase stopped to talking and turned to Mrs. Weasley. Instead of saying 'bless you', Chase practically leapt across the kitchen to practically suffocate Chase. The rest of the group munched on muffins until Chase and Ansley had caught up. Ansley gracefully sat down in her chair again and smoothed out her heather gray cashmere long sleeve tee.

"If you haven't figured it out by now, this is Ansley. We have only been best friends since about what seems like the beginning of time." Everyone smiled at her, except Ginny who only nodded. "You recognize Ron and Ginny from my pictures? Right? And this is Hermione Granger, she goes to school with Ron and Ginny. She loves books so I am sure you two will get along brilliantly! And this is Harry Potter. He also goes to school with Ron. Harry's not half bad at Quidditch, when he is flying on one of my brooms that is."

'You wish Rowley! Just because I am a better flyer than you does not mean you have to be jealous of me!" Ansley said hello and shook hands with everyone.

"I know for a fact that I am better at Quidditch than you. With or without my fancy brooms."

"They have been talking like this all week. It's bloody obnoxious." Hermione rolled her eyes at Chase and Harry who now looked like they were about to hit each other over the head with beater's bats.

Ginny zoned out while sipping a Butter-beer. She stared out the kitchen window and occasionally listened to Hermione and Ansley's conversation. They talked about shoes, books they had read, and Ansley's mother's recent fashion show. Ginny was not in the mood to make small talk even though Ansley seemed really sweet. She pushed her hair away from her face and took another swig of her drink. Ginny had been depressed the last few days and the arrival of Ansley would not help much.

He had blushed when they shook hands. Harry had blushed and looked down when he shook hands with Ansley. And she had thought Chase would cause a problem.

Chase had talked about Ansley for the last few days. It really wasn't fair that she would have to compete for Harry's affection with Ansley. She was not only beautiful, skinny, and rich, but she was also brilliant! First in her class since her first year. Ansley took classes in her third year only seventh years are allowed to take at Hogwart's. Life is just not fair sometimes. Ginny wanted to throw-up all over Ansley's pristine expensive shoes.

"Your a sixth year, right Ginny?" Ginny turned around to see Hermione and Ansley staring at her intently.

"Yea." Ginny looked down at the ground. Something told her that this school year would be more interesting than the last. Now that is saying something.

Ron and Harry had left the girls in the kitchen to talk to de-gnome the Weasley yard. Things had been pretty quiet since Cat had wandered off.

"She's pretty." Ron glanced at Harry to see his reaction.

"You've mad Hermione mad enough this summer Ron. I would not go there." Harry kicked a dandelion and watched its seeds scatter.

"I'm not talking about me mate." Harry blushed again and occupied himself with adjusting his Puddlemere United hoodie, courtesy of none other than Oliver Wood.

"I've already alienated Ginny. Do you want to find me dead in the common room?" Ron laughed at this and hit a gnome out of his way.

"She did not seem to be shocked to meet you Harry. I think that is pretty much a first." Harry had noticed that too.

"Yea." Oh to young and confused by love. And girls.

A/N: It would be interesting to hear what houses you think Chase, Ansley, and Cat will be sorted into! Just an idea!


	14. Hats Never Lie

Same disclaimer.

Ansley buttoned up her cashmere cardigan and pulled her coat closer around her slim body. It was freezing. She had just hugged her parents goodbye and was now waiting between Platforms Nine and Ten with the rest of her Hogwarts-bound friends. Her parents had given her some books that she wanted to lend to Hermione, some new sketches of her mother's, and a few things she had forgotten at home. Her mother had cried. Even though Ansley had been going to boarding school for years, if she ever needed to hang out with her mom, she could always Apparate to New York for the weekend. Being across the ocean was going to take some getting used to. Everyone else was already through the barrier, so it was her turn. She looked over her shoulder, waved one last time, and walked through the barrier directly behind Mrs. Weasley.

"Ansley!" Harry was at one of the train's doors, waving and jumping up and down. Ansley wove through the crowd toward him. A few people gave her funny looks, but she just smiled back. Once she had reached Harry, he grabbed her hand and her trunk. "Come with me, I'll show you where our compartment is. Chase and Cat are already in it and Hermione, Ron, and Ginny are at the prefects' meeting."

Harry said hi to a few people in the crowded corridor, and people whispered about the girl whose hand Harry was holding as they passed.

"Could he really go out with someone besides Ginny?" asked an Indian girl.

"He is such a wanker! I always thought they were going to get married someday," the Indian girl's friend said.

Harry stopped in front of a closed compartment and quickly dropped Ansley's hand. He blushed and looked down at her black, gray, and white tweed ballet flats. Barely a second later, Chase flung open the compartment door. "Don't just stand there, you two! I'm hungry and I need Harry's help to find some food. Cat wants to wander around the train and cause some trouble, courtesy of Fred and George, of course."

Harry hoisted Ansley's trunk onto the racks above and sat down across from her. She crossed her legs--clad in dark-wash designer skinny jeans--and pulled a book out of her vintage Channel tote. She figured the train ride would be long and Harry and Chase would be talking about Quidditch in a matter of seconds.

"So what houses do you think we'll be in, Harry?" Chase munched on an apple she had found somewhere.

"I would put a few Galleons on a bet that you and Cat will be in Gryffindor. Basically all the Weasleys have been in Gryffindor, so it makes sense that you would be too." Cat had left the compartment a few minutes ago, so Harry stretched out on the seat. "Ansley will probably be in Ravenclaw. All you talk about it what a brilliant witch she is."

Chase smiled at this. The moment Harry shook hands with Ansley, she knew he liked her. Ginny seemed to notice, too, but she wasn't too happy about it.

Outside the compartment, a few unclear voices could be heard.

"They must be back from the meeting already," Ansley said, and all of them looked at the door.

Harry checked his watch. "But it seems too early--"

Before Harry could finish his sentence, the compartment door crashed open. Three boys and a girl already in their uniforms stood in the doorway.

"I was wondering when we would find you, Potter. Where are the rest of your little friends, Mudblood and Weasel? And how about that little slag of yours? I bet you have her eating out of your hand."

Harry clenched his fists. Even though Malfoy's words stung and were as cruel as last year's, his heart didn't seem to be in it. Usually Draco enjoyed insulting Harry and his friends, but now his eyes lacked their usual malice, and it looked like he was acting.

"If you came here just to insult me, Malfoy, then leave. I'm not in the mood to hear you talk about yourself or play games."

"Well, I am getting bored talking with you. Instead, why don't you introduce me to these lovely ladies?" Draco yawned to show his boredom. "You know, you're being a terrible host."

Harry rolled his eyes and crossed his arms. "Piss off."

Draco stuck out his hand to Chase and she shook it. "I'm Chase Rowley. My brother and I are from California, and the Weasleys are our cousins."

Draco dropped her hand immediately. "Draco Malfoy, as you might already have figured out." He ran his hand through his blonde hair and looked Chase up and down.

She wasn't too amused by this. There was no way she was going to let this asshole insult her family and get away with it.

Draco turned his head toward Ansley and kissed her hand. "Will I have the pleasure of meeting you again, Miss . . . ?"

"Kerr. Ansley Kerr," she didn't appear to be especially excited about having his lips attached to her hand.

"I belive our mothers knew each other at one time."

"I thought your last name sounded familiar. My mother broke all ties with yours once she learned about certain, ah . . . ways your family believed things should be run in the wizarding world," Ansley pulled out a handkerchief and wiped off her hand.

"Well, we must be going now. I do hope we meet again, Miss Kerr," Draco nodded and left the compartment with a swish of his cloak, followed by his entourage.

"Who the hell was he?" Chase scowled in disgust.

"My enemy from the last six yeas of school. He's a prick of a pureblood who thinks everyone should worship him because he's good-looking and a rich Slytherin."

Ansley handed Harry a slip of parchment. "He gave me this."

Harry read the note and crumpled it up. "I don't think he's changed much over the summer."

Ansley, Chase, and Cat stood outside the Great Hall with a sea of first-years. A few had already asked them why they were coming to Hogwarts so late. Chase had, of course, given them a bullshit explanation about saving Muggles in Africa from dying of AIDS and playing professional Quidditch in Fiji. The scary thing was, the kids bought it.

Ansley adjusted her cardigan for the billionth time. She liked the uniforms at Hogwarts about a thousand times more than the ones at Vicker's. She felt like a sexy genius in her white oxford, gray cardigan, black pleated skirt, slimming black stockings, and ballet flats. Finally, the door opened and they were herded into the Great Hall.

First, a shabby black hat took them by surprise by singing a very informative song about Hogwarts. Then all the first-years tried on the hat and were sent to various house tables. After what felt like an hour, it was Cat, Chase, and Ansley's turn to be Sorted. The Headmistress stood up and made a speech about the special circumstances concerning students this year.

"Due to recent events and those that occurred at the end of last year, Hogwarts' number of enrolled students has drastically declined. For that reason, we were more than happy to welcome three new students transferring from Vicker's Academy of Witchcraft in New York and Bronkleburst's Academy in California. Now, on with the Sorting. Rowley, Bartholomew."

Cat walked up to the stool in the middle of the Great Hall with his head down--he hated his first name. Professor McGonagall placed the hat on his head and it began to speak immediately.

"I thought I was done with the Weasley clan for now! Ah, you're a troublemaker like those twins. Be careful bringing in those Wheezy-whats-their-names. They're banned substances here. Make your famiily proud. You will do well in GRYFFINDOR!"

Cat let out a sigh of relief and hopped off the stool. He practically ran over to the Gryffindor table, which was almost hysterical. Harry and Ron moved over to give Cat a seat and shook hand with him.

"Rowley, Chase."

Chase walked up to the stool with her head held high. She wasn't going to embarrass herself in front of the entire school. Even if she was wearing Adidas slides with her uniform.

"Please tell me you're the last Weasley," the hat whispered. "You have so much attitude that you would do well in any of the houses. You're excellent at Quidditch, eh? Then you definitely need to be in GRYFFINDOR!"

The Gryffindor table erupted again in screams and banging of goblets on the wooden tables. Hary and Ron started the wave and Cat whistled loudly over all the noise. Chase skipped over to the table and hugged Ginny as she sat down.

"Kerr, Ansley."

The entire hall grew silent. Everyone knew who she was--the heiress to the Gringotts fortune. The students and staff held their breath as Ansley walked toward the stool. Would the other houses lose out to Gryffindor again? A few boys broke the silence by whistling at Ansley. She crossed her legs and smoothed her skirt as she sat down, always the perfect lady. She glanced over at Chase, who had her eyes shut, teeth clenched, and fingers crossed.

The hat began to speak. "Last but not least. I think you made the right choice coming here this year, Miss Kerr. Now, should I put you in Gryffindor with your friends? I'm sure Miss Granger could use a smart and hardworking friend like you. Then again, you would excel in Ravenclaw around all those bookworms. But, of course, your lineage is screaming SLYTHERIN!"

Chase gasped loudly and whacked her head on the table. There was no way Ansley would be able to live with those stuck-up, old-fashioned purebloods. The entire hall burst out in whispers. No one had expected this new girl to be a Slytherin. She seemed too nice, unlike her housemates.

Ansley shuffled over to the Slytherin table. She could not comprehend that she wasn't in the same house as Chase. The whole point of going to Hogwarts was to spend as much time as possible with her best friend. Damn the world. She slipped into the only open seat at the table, which was, of course, next to Draco Malfoy. She didn't know how she was going to stand that asshole all year. She took a sip from her goblet. Oh, how she wished it was Firewhiskey she was drinking instead of pumpkin juice!


	15. Cat Fights And Quidditch Captains

_Same disclaimer._

_Disclaimer: All the real names of people have been altered or abbreviated to protect the innocent. Namely, me._

Hey people!

Didn't this year start off with a bang? After six years without transfer students and a billion DADA teachers, we finally have someone new to gossip about. Three some-ones to be exact. Even though I had seen them on the train, I never would have guessed that they were from the states! **A**, **C**, and **B** will certainly shake things up this year. Don't worry, I will be with you every step of the way to let you know what you missed. Unfortunately classes start tomorrow, but we will have plenty of time to party on the weekends, so I will have to update you quickly. It turns out that **C** and **B** were at the **W** wedding. **C** got pretty pissed and was very close to the one and only **R**. Is our Head-boy in a relationship with an American? Anyway. After doing some investigating, I have unearthed some very interesting information about our transfer students who decided to show up.

**the dirt**

**C** and **B** are brother and sister who moved from California because of their sick grandmother. Their father is **Mrs. W's** brother and their mother is a muggle born. **C** is rumored to be a brilliant Quidditch player and will give **HP** a run for his money on a broom. I found even more information about the gorgeous **A**. Word does travel fast around here. My sources have told me that she is in fact the heir to both the Gringotts and Bronkleburst fortunes. And to top it all off, her mother is a world famous designer. Lucky girl! I would love to borrow the flats that she wore to the sorting today. I wonder what size shoe she is.

**your o-mail**

Q: Dear GG,

Do you believe in love at first sight? I do as of today. I can not begin to explain what **A** means to me! She is more than beautiful! I have attempted to speak to her a few times but have only received the cold shoulder. How can I get her to pay attention to me and maybe make her fall in love? I need your help!

- Hopelessly Devoted

A: Dear HD,

Love at first sight? You and more than half of the Hogwart's population! I hate to break it to you but I think she may already be taken. If I am wrong, which I rarely am, late night broom rides are always romantic.

- GG

**sightings**

And you thought you were being discreet, oh how wrong you were. **HP** and **A** holding hands while they searched for a compartment on the train. One where they could be all alone? (Of course I am going to make assumptions about these two!) What does **G** think about this? I guess we will have to wait and see. I can already tell that this is going to be a wonderful year for everything dramatic! **H** and **C** standing outside of the **Headmistresses** office and **H** did not seem too happy. Smile once in awhile! You are Head-girl! **B** creeping into one of the school's bathrooms and later being dragged out by a teacher. He may be related to **F and G** but will **B** live up to their legacy single handily? And finally, **A** ignoring **D** as he attempts to escort her to the Slytherin common room. We all know that what **D** wants, **D** gets, but does **A** know?

You know you love me,

Gossip Girl

hr 

Ansley rolled onto her back and stared up at the drapery surrounding her bed. Green. Why did they have to be green? Ansley would have preferred to not have a house than be a Slytherin. Of all the colors in the rainbow, she just had to be looking up at green! Damn hat. Damn ancestors. Damn Hogwart's.

"If you want to get some breakfast, it would be a good idea if you got up now." Pansy Parkinson threw open the curtains around Ansley's bed. She had not exactly been nice to Ansley since Draco had been drooling over Ansley at dinner.

Without saying anything to Pansy, Millicent Bulstrode, or Diane Nott, who were unfortunately going to be her roommates for the entire year, Ansley tossed on her uniform. That was one of the things she loved about boarding school. Uniforms. She did not have to think in the morning and she could easily dress them up with accessories and a fabulous pair of shoes. Today Ansley was showing off a new pair of black leather, pointy toe, kitten heels , which were a parting gift from

her mother.

"Excuse me. Ansley?" Draco Malfoy sprang up from an armchair and practically flew over to where Ansley was now standing.

"Yea?" Ansley yawned and began to button up her cardigan.

"Do you need help finding the Great Hall? That is where breakfast is." Draco motioned for his followers to leave as he stared at the ground waiting for Ansley's answer. Draco nervous in front of a girl? What is wrong with this picture?

"Sure." Even though he had been an asshole on the train and at dinner and on the way to the common room, Ansley was not about to piss off the most popular, and powerful, guy in Slytherin. All Pansy had talked about the night before was how great Draco was and how the entire house worshipped him. And by the entire house she meant herself. Draco was polite and quiet as he guided Ansley through the dungeons and hallways towards the Great Hall.

"Why did you decide to transfer here?" Draco was still looking down at the floor but now his hands were shoved in his pockets.

"I had problems at home I wanted to get away from."

"What kind of problems."

"My ex-boyfriend was a total asshole." Ansley did not exactly want to explain to Draco exactly what Heath had done.

"Oh."

"And I wanted to spend my last year of school with Chase. We've been best friends for years."

"You do understand that she is a Gryffindor, right? As Slytherins we are expected to treat them like dirt. We have been enemies for hundreds of years."

"I understand that, but that is not going to stop me from being best friends with Chase."

"Good luck with that." Draco had still not looked up once. "The entire house might hate you by the end of the semester." Draco opened the Great Hall door for Ansley.

"I can live with that." Ansley stalked off leaving a confused Draco at the entrance of the Great Hall.

hr 

"Are we allowed to sit at other house tables during meals?" Ansley asked to no one in particular. All the girls had ignored her since she had sat down expect Pansy who looked like she wanted to hex Ansley. Like she could beat Ansley Kerr in a duel!

"You may. As long as you sit at the Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw table." Pansy glared at Ansley from behind her stringy black fringe. "Don't you put a foot near the Gryffindork table Kerr."

"All the other students are moving around." Ansley pointed to a few Ravenclaw students sitting with their Hufflepuff friends.

"You do not seem to understand that as Slytherins we do not associate with the Gryffindors." Pansy smirked.

"And you do not seem to understand that it is not my number one priority to follow all the unwritten rules of our house." Ansley twisted her perfect Talist pearl earrings. A nervous habit.

"Just because you happen to be from the states does not give you the right to throw all of our traditions out the door." The entire table now had their eyes glued to where Pansy and Ansley were arguing.

"Purebloods in the United States are raised differently. We respect muggleborns." Ansley smiled and pulled her hair back with a flick of her wand. Pansy's discolored and pudgy face was blank. She did know what to say.

"I am never afraid of hexing someone in my own house Kerr." Pansy did not seem as confidant as before.

"I bet you aren't. I would not attempt to hex me if I were you." Ansley leaned in and whispered in Pansy's ear. "I know more advanced and dark magic than your little brain could ever comprehend. Even if you are a Deatheater's daughter." Ansley stood up and was about to walk over to the Gryffindor table when Professor McGonagall spoke. Ansley quickly took a seat next to Draco.

He smiled at Ansley and whispered to her, "Spoken like a true Slytherin." Ansley motioned for him to move closer to her.

"What?"

"Your tie has been bugging me forever!" Ansley adjusted his tie and collar. "Nice shirt by the way, it is a good cut for you." Draco smirked.

"My mum got it for me. I know nothing about fashion." Draco and Ansley turned their attention to Professor McGonagall. "I think she would like you." This time it was Ansley's turn to smirk.

"Everyone's mother like me."

"I hope everyone enjoyed a safe first night back at school." Professor McGonagall's voice boomed throughout the hall. "As I am sure you have all noticed, there is extra security around the school this year. I want every student to remember that all inappropriate behavior will be punished." McGonagall's mauve silk Channel robes swished around her. "As usual, classes will commence in twenty minutes. Timetables will be distributed momentarily."

Draco turned to Ansley. "Do you know what classes you are taking?"

"And as a final announcement, house Quidditch Team tryouts will begin next week. More information may be found in the bulletin board in your common rooms. You may also contact the team captains. The Quidditch captains this year are. Oh. Please stand up once your name has been called so the other students know who you are. The captain of Hufflepuff this year is chaser Zacharias Smith." McGonagall stopped speaking until the cheers from the Hufflepuff table ended. Students shook hands with the boy who stood up and congratulated him.

"The captain for Ravenclaw is beater Robert Clearwater." The same happened at the Ravenclaw table when a tall, muscular, dark haired seventh year stood up.

"The captain for Slytherin is seeker Draco Malfoy." Everyone wearing the green and silver of Slytherin cheered for their captain. Draco beamed with pride as he stood up and the cheering for him became deafening.

"The captain for Gryffindor is chaser Chase Rowley." The hall was silent. Absolutely no one clapped. Chase stood up and waited for someone to congratulate her. She deserved the spot as captain. Everyone looked at Chase as she sat back down. Not only had she walked into Hogwart's as a seventh year, but she had snatched Harry Potter's spot as captain from beneath his broom.

"Potter isn't captain?" A boy from the Ravenclaw table shouted. Before anyone else could say anything, the hall was filled will owls and such dropping off letters from home. The teachers took this opportunity to pass out the timetables. The steady buzz and whisper of gossiping students filled the air.

Harry had worshipped Chase, her brooms, and her flying skills only a few days ago. Oh well. That friendship is so over.

A/N: I decided I am going to kill off one of the characters at the end of the story. Guess which one!


	16. Girls Like Diamonds, Boys Like Brooms

Same.

Double Advanced Potions. Just lovely. Ansley did not hate Potions, she just highly disliked having smell like dragon hide oil and adder venom the rest of the day. Luckily she already knew where the classroom was located. Professor Slughorn had spoken to her there the night before. He told her the usual new student crap. He had been nice, even if he was a tad creepy.

As a bell signaling the end of breakfast, Ansley slung her messenger bag over her shoulder and joined the sea of students exiting the Great Hall. A few first years she had spoken to while waiting to get sorted waved as she passed them. She was about to walk into the Potions classroom when Cat jogged up to Ansley.

"Crazy huh?" Cat pushed his blonde hair out of his face. "I wanted to hex that also who yelled." Ansley fixed Cat's Gryffindor colored tie. "Chase deserves that spot as captain more than anyone. More than Harry for sure. He sucks at flying compared to Chase." Cat swatted Ansley's hand away as she also attempted to adjust his collar. "I like looking messy."

"She does deserve to be captain. Chase just needs to prove it to all the Quidditch critics here." Ansley searched in her D&G leather messenger bag for a note for Chase. "Give this to Chase if you see here. Don't cause too much trouble on your first day Cat." Ansley opened the classroom door as Cat walked away.

"Yea like that will happen." Cat rolled his eyes. Ansley was pretty much his big sister. Chase was too busy flying to nag him. That was Ansley's job.

A wave of both delicious and disgusting smells hit Ansley as she swept into Slughorn's classroom in the dungeons. The class glanced up as Ansley walked in. With a few minutes left until class would commence, only a handful of seats were occupied.

"Please take a seat with a fellow member of your house." Proffessor Slughorn announced. He beamed and waved at Ansley. Oh yea. She is definitely Slug Club material. Not spying anyone from Slytherin, Ansley slipped into a seat behind a few Ravenclaws. As the remaining students trickled in, Slughorn repeated his instructions. "Please take a seat with someone from your house. Also get out your textbooks, cauldrons, and potion supplies." The clatter of students setting up their supplies masked the sound of Draco Malfoy entering Potions. He slid into the open seat next to Ansley and got his own textbook out.

"Hey." Draco muttered.

"Hi." Ansley smiled and opened up to page forty seven as directed on Slughorn's blackboard.

"Today we will be brewing Veritaserum. While I am sure you all know what Veritaserum does, does anyone know it's two main ingredients. Ansley's arm shot up.

"The two main ingredients are crushed Ashwinder Eggs and diced Valerian Roots. Together they give the potion its ability to cause the drinker to tell the truth." Ansley tightened her ponytail as Draco glanced at her from the corner of his eye.

"Thank you Miss Kerr. Fifteen points to Slytherin. On page forty seven you will find the instructions and list of ingredients needed to brew the potion. It will be due today at the end of class and a twenty inch essay on Veritaserum is due tomorrow. Please work with the student sitting next to you, begin now." Ansley followed the students from the other houses towards the cabinets holding the ingredients. She found herself next to Hermione.

"Are you and Harry the only Gryffindor's in this class?" Ansley sorted through the flasks and bottles.

"Yep. You have to work with Malfoy. That must be bloody fun." Her Cassandra Triggs sapphire studs twinkled in the dim light of the dungeons.

"He was not as rude without his little posse around. Especially Pansy. Merlin. Sharing a dorm with her is going to be just lovely." Hermione laughed and handed the flask of Pomegranate juice to Ansley and walked off to help Harry with their potion.

"If every three stirs you go clockwise instead of counterclockwise the potion will be the perfect color and consistency." Ansley leaned on her hand as she watched Draco stir their potion. "Do you want me to stir it for a while?" Ansley stuck her hand out to indicate that she wanted Draco to hand her the spoon.

"It's fine. How did you know that about the potion?" Draco moved his hair out of his face. His Madam Malkin school robe slipped down his arm. Draco rapidly pulled his sleeve back over his wrist.

"I brewed it in third year. It was not highly concentrated of course." Conversation between Ansley and Draco died down as they attempted to perfect their potion. Ansley click clacked her way to the front of the classroom to hand in the Veritaserum. Draco's eyes followed her. Meting Ansley had brightened up his year, even though it was only the first day of school. Maybe Pansy would leave him alone this year. Like that would actually happen. It was nice to have a breath of fresh air after six years of having the same girls stare at him.

hr 

Chase practically plowed over a few first years as she marched towards the Gryffindor Tower. She ignored the Fat Lady as the portrait swung open to allow Chase in to the common room. Thank Merlin classes for the day and she could now hide up in her dorm room. Everyone in the common room stared at Chase as she walked through the portrait hole. No one had spoken to her all day. They just stared with hints of anger, jealousy, and curiosity in their eyes. And now they were staring at her again.

"Stupid people!" Chase yelled and slammed her Calypso broom bag on the floor and jogged upstairs. Even though the Gryffindors did not like that Chase was Quidditch Captain, this was not going to stop them from drooling over her brooms. As soon as she was out of sight, the boys in the common room crowded around Chase's bag and began to talk about her expensive assortment of broomsticks.

"Can you believe she has all these?" questioned Dean Thomas. "I would give my left hand for any of these!"

"A Nimbus 4400 Flame! But that won't be for sale for at least another month! How did she get it so early? Is it a prototype?" A kid with auburn hair asked.

"And a Firebolt Dust 7000! They only made five of those!" Colin Creevey exclaimed.

"I also have a Limited Edition Krum Klassic by Cleansweep, a personalized Firebolt Gold, and a custom made Aussie Brooms Inc. broom. And those are just the ones I have with me at school, at the moment." Chase had been standing on the stairway watching the boys ooh and ahh over her brooms. "And the Flame is real." With a sheet of parchment in her hand, Chase ambled over to the house bulletin board. Maybe if she just carried her brooms all day she might make a few friends.

"How did you get it so early?" A few students asked.

"My dad knows the president and owner of the company." Chase stated as if having more than one broom was normal. Most of the pros only had one or two at most. She pinned the piece of parchment on the bulletin and walked away from the crowd of boys. "Quidditch info is on the board." No one went to read the paper until Chase was back in her dorm. Okay. Making friends is not going to be that easy. Then again how long will people hold grudges?

hr 

A miniature Abraxan winged horse swung into the window of the Gryffindor seventh year girls' dorm and dropped a cream piece of parchment on Chase Rowley's bed. It read:

_Meet me in the Great Hall after classes. I know you need to talk to someone after this morning. I do too. Love Ans. _


	17. Rain Rain Go Away

"Okay. Welcome to our first meeting of the Quidditch season." Chase played with the ends of her hair from her messy ponytail. She had barely gotten any sleep the night before and was unable to pay attention in class because of the meeting. "I know you are all pissed that I am captain this year instead of Harry." Ginny looked up from the hole in her E. F. Channel jeans when Chase said this. "Tryouts will begin Monday at the pitch at four. I expect everyone to be on time and have all their gear with them." Chase began to distribute packets to everyone present in the common room. "Please fill these out and place them in the box next to the stairs to the girls' dorm."

"What positions are you holding tryouts for?" Asked a tall brunette fourth year.

"All of them." A few of the people on the team the year before stared at her. "Just because you were on the team last year does not mean you will make it. If there is someone better than you, you might get cut. I have very high expectations. Oh. And if I tell you to try a different position, don't give me shit for it. Mickey Wallace was a seeker at school with me. My first year as captain I told her to switch to beater. Now is now the starting beater for the Woollongong Warriors. I know what I'm doing." Chase frowned.

"What about a reserve team?" Ginny said timidly.

"There will be a reserve team. Just because you are on the reserve team does not mean you will never play. If a starter is slacking at practice or you have improved and want to challenge the starter for their position, you may play. I do not like slackers. No matter how many essays you have or if you were immature and get a detention you will be at practice." Chase pulled on a lime green J Crew hoodie as she finished her speech. She did not think they were going to like her very much as captain. "That is all I have to say. Any questions?" No one raised their hand or spoke up so Chase walked away and climbed out of the portrait hold.

Chase skipped down the stairs leading to the Great Hall and slipped on the stone floor. She had promised to meet Ansley to chat about their "adventures" at Hogwarts. Honestly it was not all it was cracked up to be. Yea the pictures talked and the food was amazing but everyone hated her for stealing Harry's spot as captain. She had barely spoken to Connor since they had reached Hogwarts. That was really making Chase moody. As Chase rounded the corner, too occupied with the pattern of the floor, she slammed into someone.

"Merlin I am so stupid! I am sorry." Chase glanced up to see the asshole from the train.

"My fault too. Hey have you seen Ansley?" He blushed slightly and swayed from side to side. Oh Merlin. Ansley already had another victim.

"She should be in the Great Hall." Chase made a mental note to herself to quiz Ansley on her fellow Slytherin.

"Thanks." As Draco walked away, Chase noticed he was clutching a battered book that looked a lot like Ansley's favorite muggle book. In fact it was Ansley's first edition copy of I 1984 /I . Maybe this one was serious.

hr 

"Did you like it?" Draco handed Ansley the book she had lent him.

"I loved it." His eyes shone with excitement.

"Really?" Ansley played with the buttons on her cashmere Merlina and Witchery cardigan.

"Yea. It was the first muggle book I ever read." They were making their way from the Slytherin common room to the Herbology greenhouse. Draco had officially dismissed his cronies. Pansy had sulked for a few days and bitched about her life to Ansley while Crabbe and Goyle had barely eaten in a week. Draco was actually a little worried about them. He couldn't care less about Pansy. She could jump off the Astronomy Tower and he would not even flinch.

"You are missing out." Ansley and Draco laughed together as they neared the front door. It had been raining incessantly for the past week which Ansley loved because dreary weather felt so British to her. Draco whipped an umbrella out of his Calypso Quidditch backpack. He opened it up and held the door for Ansley. "Thank you good sir." She laughed again. Damn Draco loved her laugh. And he adored how she walked and always played with her earrings or the buttons on her cardigan. Most of all he loved that her handwriting was sloppy and all loopy when she had a great idea and the way she scrunched up her nose when she was confused. That was about every two seconds when he was talking about Quidditch.

Yeah. Pansy was a good snog but that was it. She was a good kisser but as dumb as troll. Literally. She could not tie her own shoe. Ansley made him feel smart and she made it okay that he was a blood traitor and hated his father. He had yet to tell her about what had happened the year before. Draco did not trust her that much yet. It had been difficult enough explaining to his mother what Snape had done to him.

About fifty feet from the greenhouse, Draco stopped walking. Droplets of rain slipped from the ends of the umbrella onto his Emeric Kostav black school shoes. "You okay." Ansley said. It was more a statement than a question.

"I am brilliant." Draco smiled. "I love the rain. If we weren't on the way to class, I would not have bothered with the bloody umbrella." Ansley nodded and adjusted the strap of her tote. She had no idea where this was going.

She grabbed Draco's free hand and tried make him move. "Come on we have to get to class." Draco stood his ground.

"Would you go to Hogsmeade with me this weekend?" Draco started to walk again after he asked Ansley. He did not want her to notice that he was shaking from his nerves.

"I would love to. But. Harry already asked me." Shit.

"Oh. When?"

"Last night in the library. I said yes. If I had known you were going to ask me. Well. If Harry cancels I will let you know. But I will definitely go with you next time. I promise. And I keep my promises. Ask Chase. She'll back me up." Their conversation ended as they entered the greenhouse. Draco took his usual seat and frowned as Harry entered the classroom. Damn Potter. Always getting what he wanted. Draco was positive that Ansley would want nothing to do with him after her date with Harry. He was nothing compared to the famous Harry Potter. Draco diligently took notes and occasionally glanced backwards at Harry who was staring dreamily at Ansley. Damn Potter.

hr 

"Chase. Chase. Chase! You better bloody wake up!" Hermione Granger leaned over a sleeping Chase Rowley. Chase rolled over as Hermione screamed at her. She scratched her stomach under her Cupid Seeker shirt and stretched.

"What do you want?" Chase squinted at Hermione. It was a Saturday. There was no way Chase was getting up before at least ten. "What time is it?" Chase rolled over on her stomach and stared at the clock. "Ten of eight? You have to be kidding me." Hermione rolled her eyes and walked away to throw on her Hermes sweat suit.

"This just came for you." Hermione tossed a piece of parchment at Chase.

"Ansley! You bitch I am not meeting you this early on a weekend!" Hermione rolled her eyes as she she changed her Talist earrings.

"It's not from Ansley. It came with a school owl." Chase got out of bed as she read the note.

"A meeting! Sorry about freaking out by the way." Chase began to change into a wrinkled sweatshirt and jeans.

"You should wear your uniform. I guess you could wear pants though. Oh. And don't forget to wear your captain badge. It is a Quidditch meeting after all, with the Headmistress I might add." Chase listened to Hermione and changed. She ran out of the dorm after giving Hermione a quick hug.

She met the other Quidditch Captains outside of Professor McGonagall's office after grabbing a muffin in the Great Hall. "Does any one know why we are here at this Merlin forsaken hour?" No one said a word to Chase. Even they were still angry about the whole Harry not being captain thing.

Professor McGonagall came out of her office and shook hands with everyone, which was kind of strange. "Thank you for meeting me here so early. I felt this would be the best time because I wanted to speak to you before your tryouts began. This year the staff and I thought it would be best to give seventh years more opportunities to learn about the careers they are considering once they have completed their education." McGonagall gave a deep sigh and folded her hands. "I am sure that you have all considered becoming professional Quidditch players, therefore we hope to give you opportunities to meet with coaches and the such." The three other captains beamed; Chase was too tired to get excited about anything. "Due to recent events and the dangers of having large crowds at Quidditch matches, the professional league in Europe has postponed the season. Therefore, we are lucky enough to be visited by a handful of scouts from all over the globe." Zacharias Smith and Robert Clearwater high-fived each-other when McGonagall gave them the news. Oh so juvenile.

"Will they be here all year?" Draco asked.

"Off and on. They will present at practices and games mainly. Now if you will follow me, they are waiting to meet you." McGonagall turned around and opened the door of her office.

hr 

McGonagall's office reeked of expensive women's perfume and broom polish. The room was full of people chatting away in multiple languages: English, French, German, Japanese, Greek, Italian, and even Afrikaans. It appeared as if the entire Quidditch world had flown at the chance to recruit some players from Hogwarts- especially the amazing seeker Harry Potter. Everyone was talking immediately about what they had heard about one player or another.

"Please. Talk a little slower. I cannot understand you." A petit Japanese woman asked the man she was speaking to. "Your accent is difficult to understand."

"So is yours." He answered in a thick Scottish accent. The two pros laughed. It was nice not to be worrying about competition for once. Like that would last long!

"Did you say you went to school here? I could not understand you." Her Quidditch robes had the crest of the Toyohashi Tengua and a 'C' on them for captain.

"Yes, I graduated a few years ago. I was Captain for the Gryffindor House team. Bloody good time. I worked those kids to the bone." His navy blue Puddlemere United robes rustled as he moved in his seat. "I'm excited to see Potter again. Great player, as long as he didn't get hurt. Had a habit of doing that. I bet he makes a brilliant captain." He is in for a surprise.

"Hey have you seen Max?" The Holyhead Harpies captain Gwendolyn Morgan asked the Puddlemere player.

"I think he is over talking to some Togo player." He ruffled his messy brown hair and squinted his mocha eyes while thinking.

"Thanks mate." Gwendolyn walked off in search of her boyfriend Maximus Brankovitch of the Fitchburg Finches. The room quieted down as McGonagall entered.

"Thank you for coming at this early hour. I know you are all anxious to meet the captains and learn about their teams. This year Draco Malfoy is the captain of Slytherin House this year." Draco walked in, waved and stood next to McGonagall. "Robert Clearwater is the captain of Ravenclaw. Zacharias Smith is the captain of Hufflepuff House." The other two captains entered the room and said hello nervously. "And the captain of Gryffindor is Chase Rowley."

The Puddlemere player's mouth dropped open. Literally. Was McGonagall smoking cannabis? Potter was not captain. That was impossible! He was captain the year before. He had boasted to the other players for the last half hour about how he had taught Harry everything he knew about Quidditch and that he was a brilliant captain. And for what? Absolutely nothing! Bloody hell the world was messed up.

"I already explained the situation so I would like to introduce you to our students." The Scot sat utterly confused. He did not pay attention to what was going on. He just stared at the girl standing where Harry should have been. It was probably something stupid like the school felt they were being sexiest by having all male captains so they had to give one spot to a girl. She probably was horrible at Quidditch and would not know what a bludger was even if it smacked her in the face. She was pretty though. That was probably the only thing she had going for her. "We will be joined by these players for much of the school year: Gwendolyn Morgan of the Holyhead Harpies, Maximus Brankovitch of the Fitchburg Finches, Petrova Porskoff of Russia, Dare Keshi of Tchamba Charmers, Albin Lindquist of the Stockholm Seven, Masami Yabuki of the Toyohashi Tengua, and Oliver Wood of Puddlemere United." McGonagall named the ten other players and scouts present and then the players stood up and began to chat with the students.

"Chase Rowley. Never in a million years did I expect to see you here." Max Brankovitch shook Chase's hand firmly. "Amazing Quidditch player here. Probably one of the craziest flyers I've ever seen." Max boasted to some of the people nearby.

"Just because you saw me pull my dive once does not make me crazy." Chase smiled. No one else knew any of the pros.

"Yea. But I was told by at least thirty people that your dive is a regular move of yours." Chase had played on a junior national team for six years which Max had been a scout and coach of for the past two. "You will have to teach me that sometime."

"Guess what I got for my birthday." Chase knew Max would be jealous. Everyone in the room would be. Well at least the people who knew a little something about broomsticks.

"Did your dad add a new broom to your already huge collection?" Max shouldn't talk considering he has forty brooms. After all, he is the highest payed Quidditch player in the United States.

"Yep. An Aussie Inc. one to be exact. Custom. Made by Stephen Knaught himself." Chase announced while leaning back and forth on her Centaur Laundry black ballet flats.

"Merlin girl! I must let me try that thing! I've been trying to get one for years! I would be happy even if it wasn't made by Knaught!" Max's eyes were huge. The idea of flying Chase's broom made him look like a kid at Christmas.

Chase spoke to almost all the other people in the room once Max had finished bragging about his star chaser. Chase yawned and checked the time on her Cassandra Triggs watch. Nine thirty. She was in desperate need of a coffee or seven.

"Oliver Wood." Chase spun around as Oliver Wood stuck out his hand for her to shake. He did not look to happy to see her.

"Chase Rowley. Chaser and captain." Mr. Wood appeared to be trying to burn holes through her head with his gorgeous chocolate eyes. "I will be holding tryouts this week after class at the pitch if you are interested in seeing who is trying out for the team this year." Chase gave him a half smile.

"Yea. I will probably be going to each houses' tryouts." He still appeared pretty angry. Most likely the whole captain-Harry Potter thing. Wood walked away quickly without a goodbye to talk to the Togo player.

Merlin he was gorgeous. Max was good looking and all, and so was the Stockholm guy, but this Puddlemere guy was down right gorgeous. Too bad he was a total asshole. Note to self: do not sign with Puddlemere because their scout is rude.


	18. How To Train A Seeker Part One

Ansley sat down daintily on the bench at Gryffindor's table. She rifled through her bag for a quill, parchment, and textbook. Chase glanced up at her best friend before continuing to peruse the papers in-front of her.

"Looks like the tryouts went beautifully." Ansley smirked. Chase rolled her eyes and retied the laces of her Abott and Abott running sneakers. "Maybe we should talk about something else." Ansley shrugged her Crystal Ball parrot green polo clad shoulder.

"Like how there are only four decent people are trying out!" Chase screamed. Luckily not too many people were in the Great Hall. "I need to find a semi- okay keeper soon or we are screwed! I am not used to being around people who weren't recruited for their athletic ability. Damn I was spoiled." Chase stuck a quill into her ponytail. This season was going to be a disaster.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Ansley looked at Chase sincerely.

"Steal the plays of your house's team." Chase raised one of her eyebrows and smiled sweetly.

"Do you want to find me dead tomorrow? There is no way that is happening!" Ansley ran her hands through her hair quickly and glanced over at the table she should have been sitting at.

"Aw. Worried Malfoy will hate you?" Chase made puppy dog eyes at Ansley.

"Bitch." Ansley reached across the table and pushed Chase's papers on the ground. "You know Pansy would kill me before anyone on the team got to me. She is just waiting for a way to get back at me." Chase used her wand to splatter ink all over Ansley's homework. "Thanks."

"Anytime kid." Ansley smiled broadly, "Now I've got to figure out this play before tomorrow and also figure out what I am going to do with the team." Ansley crossed her fingers for her best friend. "Obviously I will be chaser with Ginny and Harry will be seeker. He's not bad but I've played with better. With a little training from me he will be ready for the pros." Ansley slid a cup of coffee across the table to Chase. She knew Chase would not be sleeping much the next few days. "There is a second year girl who tried out for beater. She can play but I would rather have her as chaser, But at the moment she will have to be a beater because no one else is." She yawned a few times as she swept up her papers. "Anything new with you?"

"I'm going to Hogsmeade with Harry this weekend." Chase eyes became wide behind her Oliver Witches reading glasses.

"You do realize that Ginny is going to hate you forever." Ansley shrugged and took a sip of her own coffee.

"Yep. But they are not going out so she'll just have to deal with it. I don't even know if I like the kid."

"I bet Malfoy was pretty bummed. I saw him with your book. I assumed he couldn't read." Ansley shook her head.

"I promised him I would go with him next time."

"Oh." Chase raised both of her beautifully plucked eyebrows. "What happens if you really like Harry."

"I don't know. We'll find out later I guess." She was now munching on a croissant. "Have you seen Connor lately? He's cute by the way."

"Yea. Thanks for your consent." Chase sniggered.

"Anytime kid."

"He has a lot of stuff to do for school but he asked me to Hogsmeade. I think he's going to hate me after I drag him into a Quidditch store."

"If I survived that he can."

"I have to go talk to Harry about the team last year. See ya kid." Chase picked up her mess and shoved it into her already over flowing bag. She was never one of those extra neat kids. Ansley followed suite and put her own things away. She of course was much more organized. Somehow between spending time with Draco, teaching Chase how to use the school telescope, and talk about books with Hermione, Ansley had managed to finish all her homework. Lucky girl.

Connor squeezed Chase's hand and gave her a quick kiss. "I'll grab us something to drink. Can you find us a table?"

"Of course." Chase strolled through the packed Hog's Head in Hogsmeade. It seemed like every student on the Hogsmeade trip had decided to escape from the rain by buying a butterbeer or two.

"Rowley! Get over here!" The booming baritone voice of Max Brankovitch captured Chase's attention. He waved to her from a table in the far corner of the pub. His other arm was swung around his girlfriend Gwen's shoulders. Gwen and Max were not the only pros who were visiting Hogsmeade that day. Oliver Wood and Dare Keshi were also seated at the table in the corner. Fabulous.

Oliver crossed his fingers as Max invited Chase to sit down at the table with them. Maybe she would decline his offer. He turned around just in time to see Chase leading her boyfriend over to their table. Just great. Wood closed his eyes and blew air out of his nose in frustration. Very attractive. Not. Not only was Oliver going to have to sit through another session of Max talking about how great Chase was, he was now going to probably have to sit there as Chase and her presumed boyfriend were all "lovey-dovey". Oliver hated that cheesy romantic stuff. He attempted to try and seem occupied by the butterbeer in front of him and a very interesting thread hanging off the end of his Hi-Flyer jacket. After a quick set of introductions, the conversation topic quickly became Quidditch. Naturally.

"How's the team looking this year?" Max questioned Chase. She let out a groan and allowed her head hit the grooved wooden table top. "Not too well?"

"Only two can really play. And even they need a lot of um.,, What is the word I'm looking for? Fine tuning maybe?" Chase furrowed her eyebrows and took a long sip of butterbeer. "It's not that Harry and Ginny aren't good. They just need to go Quidditch finishing school to polish their technique." Max nodded in agreement,

"Your kidding right? Harry is a brilliant seeker! The best Hogwart's has seen in years!" Wood chimed in. He was not going to let this Quidditch snob insult Harry.

"Maybe the best Hogwart's has seen, but not me. He is a great flyer. I'll give you that. But. He does not really know how the game works. How to use the positions of the other players to his advantage. Stuff like that." Oliver shrugged.

"He's not in the pros." Chase nodded and finished her butterbeer before continuing.

"He has raw talent but that is not going to get you absolutely everywhere. There is a lot I need to teach him."

"What can you teach a seeker? You're only a chaser!" Oliver said in disgust as if being a chaser was some lowly position.

"And you're only a keeper! I know way more about seeking than you do!" Chase shouted.

"Like what?" By this point in time Oliver was also shouting and had caused many customers to stare.

"I can teach him how to test the wind to find which way to fly so he'll be faster! And how the position of the quaffle affects the position of the snitch." Chase and Oliver stood up and stared at one another, both trying to intimidate the other. "Not to mention how to confuse the other seeker. My techniques will teach Harry more than throwing around a bunch of charmed golf-balls will every teach even the best seekers!"

"That's not real Quidditch! It's just a manipulation of a seeker's skills!"

"You wouldn't know real Quidditch if it smacked your stupid accent out of you!"

"Bloody hell I would! I could out fly you anytime, anywhere!" Oliver's face was inches from Chase's as they continued to argue in front of the entire pub. Max, Gwen, Connor, and Dare sat with their mugs of butterbeer halfway to their mouths as they gawked at the arguing pair.

"Any weather?" Oliver sat down. "Today is pretty awful outside. How about we go for a fly right now." He crossed his arms in frustration. Weather. Damn. She got him.

"Let me get my broom." Oliver was not going to give up that easily.

"Meet me up at the pitch after dinner then." Oliver nodded and finished his butterbeer.

"I'll be there. You might want to bring some of your friends along to carry you off the pitch." Wood cocked his one eyebrow and smiled. Damn he had a gorgeous smile.

"You mean for when I beat you and they carry me off the pitch on their shoulders? In victory?" Chase gave Oliver a big smile. Wood's warm mocha eyes were stormy with rage. "Don't be late. I hate lateness."

"I'll be there early." With that, Chase picked her Merlina and Witchery rain coat.

"Thank you for the stimulating conversation but I must be going. I have a seeker to train." Chase left the table and Connor followed after hurriedly apologizing to Max and Gwen for Chase's outburst.

"Well that was...interesting." Max shot Oliver a worried glance. He was leaning his head on his upside down butterbeer mug and tugging at his hair. His forehead was wrinkled in confusion and his eyes looked tired. Oliver Wood was pretty much finished. How the hell was he going to out fly a chaser?


	19. How To Train A Seeker Part Two

Harry stood by the door leading to Hogwart's grounds with his hands shoved into his Hi-Flyer jeans while he dragged his new Calypso Quidditch shoes along the floor. Today was not exactly the perfect day for a trip to Hogsmeade with Ansley Kerr - the most sought after girl in school. The sky was streaked with clouds the color of dirty snow and it had been drizzling off and on all morning in typical British Isle fashion. Harry had taken extra time that morning to attempt to flatten his hair a little, even though Ansley had mentioned that she liked his hair messy, and had asked Hermione about twenty times if his clothing matched. He was extra worried about his date with Ansley because he had not been on a real date since the disaster with Cho Chang. Even he and Ginny had been more of a "let's cuddle on the couch" couple because Harry was so tired from flying around the country searching for clues that would lead to one of Voldemort's horcruxes. Harry had spoken briefly to his other friends about what they were doing on their day off. Ron, Hermione, and Cat were going to drop in on Fred and George at their new store in Hogsmeade and Chase had mentioned something about stopping by the Quidditch Supply store. Which of course meant she would be spending a few hours in their.

As the clock in the Hogwart's courtyard struck ten, Ansley came practically running up the steps from the dungeons. Her silky hair flew behind her and then got stuck in her deep ocean Oskar de la Remba hooded sweatshirt as she skidded to a stop in front of Harry. He looked up from his interesting shoes and a gigantic smile spread across his face. Ansley grabbed his hand and started to speak rapidly as they began to walk towards Hogsmeade.

"Oh Merlin Harry I'm so sorry I'm late!" Her aqua eyes pleaded Harry not to be angry with her. "Pansy fucked up my alarm clock and I am not a morning person. I hate waking up before nine." She became angry when she mentioned Pansy. "That girl is such a bitch."

"So I was thinking we would go to the Hog's Head first and then I would show you around the rest of the town. If you want to go in any shops just let me know. Usually we would go to The Three Broomsticks but it closed last year after the owner was under the Imperius curse." Harry asked Ansley about classes and professors as they entered the small village of Hogsmeade. Deep guttural laughs from the Hog's Head were swept out into the streets as the pub's door was opened and closed. Luckily the room was not too crowded yet with students escaping the awful weather so Harry and Ansley were able to find a table in the back corner. Oliver Wood was seated at a table near by and waved to Harry as they walked by.

"How is Quidditch going?" Ansley asked Harry as he returned to the table with two butterbeers. His emerald eyes lit up at the mention of his favorite sport.

"Brilliant!" Harry took a swig from his glass and smiled. Ansley laughed and handed him a napkin. He had a mustache of butterbeer foam. So cute.

"Really? I thought you would be one of the many people at school about to petition against Chase being captain. Ansley knitted her eyebrows together and took a sip from her butterbeer. Yum.

"Of course not! She's bloody brilliant! I've never seen a better flyer! Even at the Quidditch World Cup and I was there the year Krum played! Any way, having Chase as captain is a good thing. It makes my life a lot less stressful. I wish I could explain to everyone why I can't be captain. It really is bullocks that everyone hates Chase. You see there are circumstances that prevent me from being at every practice and game." The pub had suddenly gotten crowded and Harry needed to speak louder so that Ansley could hear. Out of the corner of his eye Harry thought he saw the athletic body of Chase sit down at the same table as Oliver Wood.

"What are you an undercover Auror for the school or something? Or are you already playing for the pros under an alias?" Ansley raised one of her eyebrows at Harry which made him laugh. Damn she is good.

"Something like that." Harry silently hoped that the subject would change. Only Ron and Hermione knew about the circumstances pertaining to the captaincy and he wanted it to stay that way. Then again they would be working for the Order with him.

"How is the rest of the team looking? Chase did not seem to happy about the other players yesterday." Ansley slipped her feet in and out of her leopard print Centaur Laundry flats.

"I really hope she can figure out what to do with Ron as keeper. Chase better have some amazing tricks up her sleeve because honestly, otherwise Ron will be hopeless. Again."

"Chase said that Ginny is going to be chaser and reserve seeker. That's pretty cool. I hope everything is not too awkward between you two when you practice together." Ansley gave Harry a hopeful half smile.

"No. Ginny is so sweet and I've known her so long that it won't be awkward at all. She was more... difficult when we were dating so I'm not worried about us having arguments or anything."

"That's good." Ansley wished that this would mean she would not have to worry about Ginny hunting her down and knocking her head off with a quaffle.

"She's a brilliant witch and chaser. A few years ago when we were in the Ministry, she helped defeat a few Deatheaters. At least I think she did. Any way all the Weasleys are brilliant but she's amazing." Harry had a distant look in his stunning eyes. Someone still has Ginerva Weasley on the brain. How is that possible when you are sitting across from the Ansley Kerr? Harry began to talk again but was interrupted by screaming from a nearby table. He spun around and Ansley looked up from her purse. "Bullocks." Harry and Ansley stared as Chase and Oliver Wood argued, over Harry for some odd reason. Even though Chase was his friend and Quidditch captain, Harry secretly hoped that Oliver would win their argument, which had attracted the attention of everyone in the pub.

"That's not real Quidditch! It's just a manipulation of a seeker's skills!"

"You wouldn't know real Quidditch if it smacked your stupid accent out of you!"

"Bloody hell I would! I could out fly you anytime, anywhere!"

"Oh Merlin. I know where this is going." Ansley whispered to Harry. Her eyes were glued to the argument between her best friend and the dashing Scottish Quidditch scout.

"Any weather?" Questioned Chase.

"Let me get my broom." Answered Wood.

"He should not have agreed to race her. She will never let him live it down." Harry whipped his head around to face Ansley.

"You don't think he'll win? He's a pro." Harry's face was enveloped in confusion.

"He might be a pro. But he's a keeper right?" Harry nodded without hesitation. "Chase is a chaser. She is built for speed and she has those damned brooms to back her up. There is no way she will loose. There is a reason she's been called for practically every possible foul in her Quidditch career." Ansley was back to watching the screaming pair.

"Damn. That's hard."

"Meet me up at the pitch after dinner then." Chase taunted.

"I'll be there. You might want to bring some of your friends along to carry you off the pitch." Oliver said smugly.

"You mean for when I beat you and they carry me off the pitch on their shoulders? In victory?" Chase said confidante as ever.

"Merlin! Why can't she just keep her mouth shut just once!" Ansley let her head drop onto the table top as Chase provoked Oliver more.

"Don't be late. I hate lateness."

"I'll be there early." Oliver said while grinding his teeth together. He had to stop himself from strangling Chase.

"Thank you for the stimulating conversation but I must be going. I have a seeker to train."

"Thank Merlin that is over." Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"Harry I'm so sorry. I have to go after her. I can't let Connor attempt to calm her down on his own. She's impossible when she's like this." For the second time that day Ansley begged Harry with her gorgeous eyes not to be angry with her.

"No. It's okay. I understand. I would do the same for Ron or Hermione. I'll go with you." Harry attempted to flatten his hair which had popped back up once he had walked outside.

"Thanks Harry. You are such a sweetheart." Ansley reached across the table and gave Harry a quick kiss on the cheek before hurrying after Chase. The couple were able to easily catch up with Chase and Connor due to lack of people in the streets because of the weather.

"Chase! Chase! Chase Marine Rowley! What the hell were you doing back there?" Chase spun around as Ansley said her middle name. Her Merlina and Witchery raincoat was shoved into bag and her Marishka Maltin jeans were splattered with mud from the puddle she had jumped in after leaving the pub. Ansley ran over to her and hugged Chase. "Are you really going to race him?" Ansley already knew the answer to her question but asked anyway. Chase's face was flushed and Connor was wide eyed. He had never experienced the full affect of his girlfriend's rage.

"Of course I am going to race him. And I will win. He is such an asshole. He's hated me since I walked into McGonagall's office and I was not his precious Potter. No offense Harry."

"None taken Chase. I understand." The three friends, and Connor, made the hike back to Hogwart's at breakneck speed. Chase can walk fast. Very fast.

"I'll even let him use one of my brooms. I'll bet that he picks my Nimbus 4400 Flame. Stupid. Everyone knows they don't go as fast in the rain. Don't say anything. I want to watch him make that mistake. I can't wait to see his face after I win." Chase complained about Oliver all the way back to the Great Hall. There was definitely going to be a crowd at this historical race.

I'm putting my galleons on Chase. After all she is Chase the Chaser.

hr 

"And then she had to challenge Wood to a damn race! Couldn't she just keep her mouth shut. Oh. I forgot. We are talking about Chase Rowley here. Of course she couldn't keep her mouth shut!" Ansley attacked the chicken in front of her with a knife and fork. The first days she had gotten strange looks from people because she held her silverware differently. Luckily the entire school had gotten used to the "American" way of holding a fork, as Pansy said, with a bitter tone.

"Why did you follow her then if you were angry that she argued with Wood?" Draco played with the bowl of pasta in front of him as he watched Ansley tear apart her chicken.

"Because she is my best friend." Ansley said with a sigh. "And that is what best friends do. We are there for each other all the time. That's why when Chase needed to fly over to McFleet's and squirt water at the boys who had stolen her broom, I lent her my invisibility cloak so she wouldn't get caught. It is also why we would stay up until four in the morning the night after a Quidditch match and talk about every detail. Haven't you ever had a best friend?" Ansley cocked her head to the side and dropped the chicken hanging from the tines of her fork.

"Nope. My family was never really friends with anyone. Just acquaintances. I've known Crabbe and Goyle for years but we have never really been friends. We have just been expected to look like we were friends." Draco swirled his goblet around before taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

"Oh. You purebloods are a lot different here." Ansley and Draco sat in silence as they ate their dinner. Draco had stayed at the castle that day because he had not wanted to bump into Ansley and Harry while walking around Hogsmeade. Luckily Ansley had only brought up the fiasco with Chase and had barely mentioned Harry since she returned from their date. It must be awful to be Draco Malfoy. Well not really.

"Are you going to watch them race." Draco looked up in time to see Chase walking away from the Gryffindor table with her Calypso Quidditch bag in hand. "She's leaving now."

"Just lovely." Ansley pushed her plate away and wiped her mouth with a cloth napkin before following Chase.

"This is going to be one brilliant Quidditch match. Wood is the only other person I have met who is as obsessed with Quidditch as Chase." Draco followed Ansley out of the Great Hall towards the Quidditch pitch.

"This will definitely be interesting." The suede Morgan La Fay moccasins she had put on before dinner were now soaked with the rain water clinging to the grass. "Damn. Stupid shoes." Her feet inside them were now wet and cold. Lovely.

"Let me help you out there." Ansley looked up at Draco, who happened to tower over her. His eyes were bloodshot like he hadn't slept lately and his hair was a little messy. He had been a little on the depressed side the day before because of the Hogsmeade which Ansley would be going on with Harry and not him. Ansley was surprised she hadn't noticed before. Then again at dinner she had been ranting about Chase and now she was preoccupied with her wet shoes. Not exactly Miss Observant?

"What?" Before Ansley could catch on, Draco had picked her up and was racing towards the Quidditch pitch. "What the hell are you doing Draco!"

"Preventing your feet from getting wet!" He laughed and smiled. A real smile. Which Ansley had not seen since seen she had told him that she would not be going to Hogsmeade with him.

"But they are already wet!" Ansley clung to Draco's forest green sweater, worried that he would trip and they would go tumbling into the grass heads first. "Let me down!"

"We are almost there!" As Draco ran through the gates leading onto the Quidditch pitch, he carefully put Ansley down on the ground. "Happy?"

"Thrilled!" Ansley rolled her eyes and began to walk away from him.

"You know, you are really heavy!" Draco tickled Ansley and pulled her close to him.

"Remember that next time you want to make sure my feet are dry." Ansley laughed and pulled away from Draco as she threw her hair up into a messy bun.

Chase and Oliver were already at the pitch choosing brooms. Wood was pacing up and down past Chase's brooms which were organized on the ground. A ring of students separated Oliver and Chase from Ansley and Draco. Practically all of the upper-class Gryffindors were in the crowd in addition to the other house Quidditch teams. Chase had been shocked that the other captains already chose who would be on the team. She had extended the tryouts to another week because she was not satisfied with a few of positions. Chase was never satisfied with Quidditch until she had walked off the pitch after a blowout victory.

Ansley and Draco joined the crowd as Oliver picked up one of the brooms. Chase had been correct. He went right for the Nimbus 4400 Flame. Ansley glanced at Chase who was attempting to suppress a laugh behind her hands. Stupid boy. Once Oliver stepped away from the brooms Chase grabbed her Aussie Brooms Inc. broom. Smart choice.

"Where are we racing?" Chase grinned as if on cue, it began to pour.

"How about around the pitch ten times and then across to the far posts. Obviously the first one to the posts wins." His accent appeared to be accentuated by the rain for some reason.

"Sounds good." Chase knew she was going to win. The rain was perfect. Now she had a chance to prove herself to to everyone who had doubted her previously. The crowd moved so Chase and Oliver could walk over to the appointed start. A chubby Ravenclaw, who would a beater this year, prepared to start the race as Chase and Oliver mounted their brooms. "Prepared to loose?" Chase asked Wood.

"I don't loose Rowley. I dominate." Chase tried to be serious couldn't hold her giggles. She sputtered and almost feel off her broom because of Oliver's silly remark. Seconds later Chase and Oliver kicked off the ground at the sound of the Ravenclaw's voice. Chase sped off in the rain and finished a lap before Oliver began to catch up to her.

"Merlin that girl is fast." Whispered Harry who was standing in the crowd next to Ginny.

By the third lap Chase and Oliver were neck in neck. Chase's body was close to her broom and streamlined while Oliver struggled in the wind because of his cloak. Chase had opted to wear a pair of Cupid Quidditch shorts and a tight jersey rather than the traditional Quidditch garb. Even though Harry should have been rooting for his current captain, he secretly cheered for Oliver. He knew that his previous Quidditch captain would never let Harry hear the last of it if he lost. Wood would come up with a million different ways Chase could have cheated and blame her for the rain. As the competitors turned into the their fifth lap, Chase began to weave back in forth in front of and behind Oliver. She was toying with him and that pissed him off more than the fact that she was barely trying to fly fast while he was struggling to keep up his speed.

"How you doing Wood? Having a tough time on that broom? Maybe you should train more often? Or you could pick up a broom catalog once in while." Chase was leaning her head in her palm as she flew next to Oliver.

"Shut the hell up Rowley!" Oliver's body was hunched over as he concentrated on flying as fast as possible.

"Maybe then you would know that Aussie Brooms Inc. brooms are made to preform at top speeds in extreme weather. You know rain, snow, hail, wind, extreme temperatures. Unlike the Nimbus 4400 Flame which you so smugly chose from my collection of brooms. Well I'll see at the finish line. Please don't crash. I would love to have my broom back in one piece." Chase sped off with ease and lapped Oliver with out blinking an eye.

"Fuck off Rowley!" Wood screamed into the wind and rain which had him soaked to the bone miserable by then.

"Oh. And your Quidditch robes can't be helping much either. It is not exactly aerodynamic."

"Quit screwing around Chase and just fly!" Ansley's voice carried itself through the stadium thanks to the Sonorus spell. At the sound of her angry best friends voice, Chase picked up speed and finished her ten laps in a matter of seconds. Wood came to a screeching halt in-front of the three hoops. Chase was sitting on her broom, swinging her legs back and forth, with her bangs (fringe) plastered to her forehead and goose-bumps covering her arm.

"Good race Wood." Chase held out her hand for him to shake. He took it hesitantly but avoided looking at her. He was beyond humiliated. Yeah, Chase was a seeker, but he was a pro. He should have been stupid enough to go for the obvious fast broom. At least he is still gorgeous. "I hope to see you at tryouts. Same time and place as last week. Oh. And this week we will be going for runs in the morning. Around six thirty, quarter of seven. They are not mandatory, but I have strongly advised that the team to show up." Oliver nodded and flew down towards the crowd. Once he and Chase landed, without another word, he handed her the broom and headed for the locker-rooms.

Ansley walked up to Chase with Draco and Harry trailing her. "You shouldn't have done that Chase."

"What? He needed to be humbled a little bit. And I needed to prove to everyone that I can be just as good a player as Harry."

"Maybe you need some humbling too Chase."


	20. Beaters Me

"Ten minutes until breakfast Chase!" No one had shown up for the morning run Chase had scheduled, figures, so she had attempted to catch a few more hours of sleep before being dragged off to classes.

"I'm up. I promise." Chase stumbled over piles of paper with scratched out Quidditch plays on them and clothing. Her corner of the dorm was rarely clean and the majority of the time the floor was covered with Quidditch equipment, wrinkled clothing, and half written essays. If she was not a witch, there was no way in the world Chase would ever be able to find her school work, let alone get ready for class in less then ten minutes.

"Could you keep your mess away from my stuff please!" Lavender Brown's obnoxious voice screeched in Chase's ears. Her corner of the dorm was pretty much the polar opposite of Chase's. From the perfectly made bed, right down to the color coordinated tissue box and lint brush on Lavender's night stand. "It gets bigger everyday! Are you growing something in that pile over there? I swear I saw it move last night." Chase squinted at the pile that Lavender was pointing at with a scowl on her face.

"My owl's cage is under there." Chase turned away from Lavender and pressed her fingers against her ears in an attempt to block out her dorm-mates high pitched voice. "I can't stand that girls voice!" Chase complained as she began to brush her teeth next to Ginny.

"She is almost as obnoxious as the girls in my dorm." Ginny had moved the majority of her stuff into the seventh year girls dorm and was sleeping in the empty bed next to Chase. After dressing quickly and searching through her pile of papers and gum wrappers next to her bed, Chase followed Ginny and Hermione to breakfast. Meals at Hogwart's were one of her favorite times of the school day. The people at Vicker's and Bronkleburst's really needed to borrow the cook books of the Hogwart's house-elves sometime. Chase shoved an entire doughnut in her mouth before pouring her self a huge cup of coffee and loading her plate with bacon, eggs, omelets and every other breakfast food imaginable.

"Merlin Chase. Don't you ever swallow?" Hermione turned away as Chase chomped on a piece of bacon. "You remind me of Ronald when you eat. And that is not a good thing."

"I'm related to him. Remember? I'm hungry. Plus I need to eat quickly because I have to go ask Ansley to help me with some essays which are due in a few hours because I know you won't let me copy yours." Chase mumbled between bites of toast.

"I'm glad you understand that already. I've know Ronald and Harry for seven years and they still have not caught on to that fact."

Hermione glared at Ron who was currently rifling through her bag for a copy of her Charms paper. "I already handed mine in Ronald."

"Sorry. I just wanted a peak." Ron turned away from Harry and began to complain about how Hermione had never learned to share when she was little. After grabbing two muffins and shoving them in her bag, Chase jogged over to the Slytherin table where Ansley was sitting and took a seat across from her.

"So I fell asleep last night and didn't finish my essays that are due in a few hours. And since I have Charms first I figured I could finish them then." Ansley looked up from the copy of the Daily Prophet that she was reading.

"What have you got?" Chase handed her the crumpled copies of her essays. "Okay. For the potions one write about the qualities of every ingredient and why you need each one okay? Also say why this potion is important to the wizarding world and why we brewed it and studied it in class. It might not get you an 'O' but it will give you enough information to have the correct length." Ansley handed the parchment back to Chase and perused the other one.

"Hurry up! I can't be late to class. I need to be on Flitwick's good side!" Ansley burst out in laughter. "It's not that bad is it?" Ansley shook her head no and suppressed her giggles.

"You want me to help you with Herbology?" Ansley cocked her eyebrow at Chase. As Ansley handed the essay back to Chase, Pansy Parkinson walked up to the table.

"Bloody Mudblood get out of my seat!" Pansy sneered.

"I don't have time for you Parkinson. Just shut it for now. I'm busy." Pansy continued to complain about Chase and how she was disgusted by the fact that a half-blood was sitting at the Slytherin table. "Any way! Why won't you help me with this?"

"Remember why I dropped Herbology after fifth year?" Chase shot Ansley a confused look. "How can you forget Professor Shrub's face when she walked into the greenhouse and over half her plants were dead. I couldn't keep a plant alive for more than twenty four hours!"

"I forgot about that. You really did suck at Herbology." Chase laughed. "Remember when she kicked you out of the greenhouse because you set your mandrake on fire? How the hell did you manage that one?" Ansley began to read the Prophet again in hope that Chase would leave or change the subject. Chase waved her stained tie in Ansley's face to make her look up. "I also remember that when you first got an owl it flew away from you about an hour after you got it."

"Yeah. So what if I'm not good with plants or any-kind of animal? I also dropped Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Mammal Studies. That was the weirdest class ever!" Chase gathered up her papers and stood up to leave.

"I also remember that you killed my goldfish Floppy when you looked after him summer after first year. That was very traumatizing." Chase laughed with Ansley as they thought back to when eleven year old Chase had burst into tears over the dead fish.

"If you need help with Herbology ask Longbottom. Neville. He's brilliant at Herbology. He practically has Professor Sprouts job." Chimed in Draco before Chase left for Charms.

"Thanks. I'll ask him in class. See ya." Chase waved as she walked away. As students began to leave the Great Hall to get to class, Chase practically ran over a few first years. "Sorry guys!" Chase apologized and helped them up while scanning the crowd for the tall and lanky figure of Neville Longbottom. "Neville! Neville!" Chase jumped up and down and waved her arms in the air frantically. She wove through the crowd of students and began to beg him to help her. Neville agreed to sit next to her in Charms so he would be able to give her a few pointers. The poor kid was practically strangled by Chase when she hugged him. "Is there anyway I can help you out."

"Well. I've never been very good at flying." Neville clutched his latest Herbology project.

"I will send you a note after practice. You'll be flying well in no time." Chase nodded in agreement. She was always willing to help someone out with Quidditch.

"As long as I don't fall off my broom like in first year I'll be fine." Neville laughed nervously and glanced at his watch.

"You don't have to worry about that. You will be in good hands. I'll see you in class Neville. I have to grab a few things from the dorm." Her Adidas sandals thwacked against the stone floor as she hurried to the Gryffindor Tower.

----

"Harry. Look at this." Chase had scrawled a few things down at the beginning of class that she hoped would pass for something similar to an essay and was now occupied by the stick figures zooming around her parchment. She shoved the page over to Harry while Flitwick had his back turned. "What do you think?" Harry eyed the page cautiously and handed it back to Chase with a sloppy note written in the top right corner.

_Looks brilliant. Are we going to run this a few times at tryouts this afternoon?_

Chase nodded her head vigorously in response and added the crinkled parchment to her packet of Quidditch plays in her messenger bag. Harry and Chase turned back to the notes they were supposed to be taking on a new charm. A sudden bell broke through the scratching of quills on parchment to announce the end of classes for the day. Quidditch time.

----

Ginny Weasley threw her Comet Quidditch bag over her shoulder as she entered the Great Hall. The large room was buzzing with the sound of students talking about their plans for the evening and Quidditch players complaining about practice. Ginny dropped her bag opposite of Harry and Chase at the Gryffindor table. The pair were rapidly discussing a new play Chase had devised and the situation concerning the need of a second beater and a keeper.

"What we really need to do is take them back to our house have them whack the gnomes out of our yard. That's how Fred and George learned all their beater skills. By doing yard work." Ginny added.

"I never thought of that Gin. But it's true. They've been doing that all their lives. Or at least for as long as I can remember." Chase looked up at her cousin and smiled. Ginny was such a sweetheart.

"Maybe we can ask McGonagall if we can get a few shipped in." Harry said sarcastically. He smiled at Ginny who gave him a wink. So cute. Harry and Ginny glanced at Chase expecting a response. She was chewing on the end of her quill with her head leaning on her Rags to Witches distressed jeans.

"They've been doing it all their lives." Chase whispered as she stared off at the professors' table. "Merlin why didn't I think of it before!" She bolted upright and sent her Quidditch plays flying in the process. "Merlin I love you guys!" Chase threw herself across the table and enveloped her cousin in a collarbone crushing hug. "Gin. You are the best. Period. No questions asked. I am going to get you an extra amazing Christmas present. No lie." Ginny's face was mushed against Chase's tee shirt. "I have to go. Like right now. I have to search through the mess that is my pile of stuff. I'll see you two at the pitch." Chase dashed off in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower, leaving both her Quidditch plays and a highly confused Ginny behind.

----

Chase skipped on to Hogwart's Quidditch pitch. Everyone who was trying out for the team were already stretching and warming up for practice. The Quidditch players looked up as their extra jolly Captain stopped in front of them. "Today is going to be a wonderful day. I have a new play to go over with everyone and a packet to hand out after practice. I also may have, no have definitely solved, our little beater and keeper problem with the genius help of my brilliant cousin Ginny." Ginny blushed a little even though she still had no idea what Chase was talking about. "Anyway. Please split up into your usual groups by position and begin warming up. I must have a word with some of the scouts who you can all see are at practice today." Chase pointed to the stands where a bunch of people in bright Quidditch robes were sitting with binoculars glued to their faces. "You may begin."

Chase skipped over to the stand where the scouts were sitting and jogged up every flight of stairs. She had a spring in her step, a gigantic smile on her face, and her eyes were wide with anticipation behind her E. F. Channel aviator sunglasses. "Good afternoon!" Chase received a mix of 'hellos' and a few groans from the pros. "I have this for all of you to take a look at." Chase handed out copies of the play which the team would be working on during practice. "I'm going to see if anyone can actually do this today." A few people chuckled. "If you take out your wands and tap the parchment twice the drawings will zoom around and show you the play." With a few good byes Chase left the pros to join her teammates and announce her decision concerning the beater and keeper positions.

Harry was using a practice snitch to train while the chasers passed a quaffle around in the air and the beaters had a competition to see who could heat a bludger the farthest. Even though she should have been paying attention to the other players, Chase was only interested in the keepers. The small group of keeper wannabes practiced diving for the quaffle a few feet off the ground. Chase dragged her bag of Quidditch gear over to the area where the keepers were warming up. She picked grass occasionally but kept her eyes fixed on the students practicing. After a few minutes of studying the horrible "skills" of the keepers, Chase motioned for one of them to walk over to her.

"Ron. Come here." Chase waved her cousin over. He tossed the quaffle he was holding to a third year and glided over to Chase.

"Yea?" He hopped off his broom and sat next his cousin in the springy grass.

"Why are trying out for keeper again?" Chase tilted her sunglasses away from her face so she could get a better look at Ron's reaction.

"I was the team's keeper last year." Chase nodded. She already all this information from the surveys she had handed out at the first meeting.

"How many shots did you block?" From talking to Harry, Chase already knew that Ron's record was not so great.

"I don't know. Maybe twenty or so." Ron gulped loudly. This was not looking too good. Was he going to get cut before everyone else?

"I want to see you try beater." Chase said nonchalantly. Ron's eyes popped out of his head. Never in a million years would he have guessed that Chase wanted to switch positions!

"But I've never played beater before!" Ron yelped. "What in Merlin's beard were you drinking before practice?" A scowl replaced Chase's sunny smile.

"What ever happened to the whole 'when I tell you to switch positions you don't give me any crap' rule?" Ron took the beater's bat that Chase handed to him.

"What made you think that I could be a beater?" Ron questioned.

"Ginny. She mentioned how Fred and George would hit the gnomes out of your yard. Well so have you." Ron nodded in agreement.

"Oh. I'll give it a go. If I'm awful..." Ron swung the bat over his shoulder and walked away from Chase.

"You won't be awful. You'll be amazing. Way better than the twins." Ron brightened up at this.

Chase crossed her lime green Marishka Maltin Quidditch short clad legs and watched her cousin hit the bludgers around with the other beaters. He was a natural. "One down. One to go. That keeper problem is going to be a little more difficult."

----

Oliver Wood stared at the piece of parchment on his lap. He tapped it again with his wand. The figures representing the chasers, beaters, keepers, and seekers of both imaginary teams zoomed across the page. The attacking chasers flew around the page in intricate patterns and passed the circle marked 'Q' for quaffle back and forth. As the chasers neared the opposite teams hoops the seeker flew after the snitch across the parchment. After a complicated fake, the lead chaser scored and mere milliseconds afterwards the seeker caught the snitch. A smile flickered across Oliver's face and his rich brown eyes twinkled. The others were still watching the parchments play the Quidditch play with help from Chase's charm when Oliver burst out in laughter. It was so simple.

He wanted to grab his broom dive off the side of the stands and jump on his broom. Oliver wanted then race across the pitch and tackle Chase Rowley. The creator of this brilliant play. He wanted to rip off all their cloths and do some ancient Quidditch tribal dance around Stonehenge and then kiss her. Oliver wanted to kiss Chase until both their lips hurt.

Doesn't he hate her?

It was so ridiculously simple. Chase Rowley had figured out the play which Puddlemere's top play writers had been trying to figure out for months. And she had done it during Charms class. He could not contain his excitement. Yes, she had humiliated him in front of practically every Quidditch player in Hogwart's the day before but she had figured it out.

Before anyone noticed that he was practically having convulsions because of his excitement, Oliver left the stands and grabbed his broom from the locker room. He flew towards the castle with his fingers crossed. Luckily no one was in the mail room when he arrived so Oliver was free to dance around. After writing a hurried note to Puddlemere's coach on the back of the play and sending an owl to Puddlemere's headquarters, Oliver flew back to the pitch to see what else Miss Rowley had up her Quidditch robe's sleeve. They just had to sign her. They just had to! There was no way he was going to let some other team scoop up Chase before Puddlemere had a chance to offer her a contract.

----

Neville reread the note scrawled on the parchment as Harry and Ron dragged themselves into their dorm room. Harry gave Neville a weak wave and Ron grunted a hello as he plopped onto his bed. Quidditch practice was obviously very taxing.

"What you got there Neville?" Harry pointed to the letter in his hand.

"Just a note from my Grandmum." He quickly replied and tucked the parchment into his trousers pocket. Neville had lied to Harry. He did not want the entire world to know that he was taking flying lessons from Chase. Neville already had the note memorized. It read:

_Neville- Meet me at the pitch after dinner. Bring a broom. If you don't have one that's fine. I would also like to see how you would do as a keeper. Not a lot of flying will be involved. I promise. I think your attention to detail as a Herbology expert would be good for the position. _

_See ya then. Chase._

----


	21. Arguments and Apologies

"Perfect. You're doing well. Now we are going to move onto being able to block shots without the use of your eyes." Chase Rowley tossed a Quaffle in the air and caught it before tossing it to Neville Longbottom. He caught it with ease but threw it back to Chase so he could have both hands attached to his broomstick. Neville had greatly approved over the past few weeks even though he was not totally confidant more than twenty feet off the ground.

apologies

"Okay." Neville swallowed loudly and nodded. He had learned quickly not to question Chase's teaching techniques.

"What I want you to do is just close your eyes and listen to the sound of my Quidditch robes. A lot of keepers have a habit of ignoring small details like that. Nine times out of ten if you wait to decide which hoop to block and just listen, you'll pick the right one." Neville was shaking as he clung to his new broomstick. "I'm not actually going to throw the Quaffle at you." Neville sighed in relief and closed his eyes so the drill would begin.

Twenty minutes later, Neville jogged into the Gryffindor locker-room and left Chase behind to put away the Quidditch equipment. As she had promised, Neville was able to figure out which hoop she was aiming for just by listening. After much pleading and begging from Chase, Neville had agreed to attend normal team practices. Though he had been nervous about riding a broom again, Neville had finally come to realize that maybe all brooms weren't so bad. Except the one that had gone haywire while he was attempting to ride it during first year. Hopefully he won't make a fool of himself at the team's practice.

Chase lingered on the pitch a little longer. It was perfect weather for Quidditch. Just a hint of a breeze, chilly air that just begged for a cashmere cardigan, and clear blue skies tinged blood orange by the setting sun.

"Excuse me." A deep voice caused Chase to spin around. A dressed up, well almost dressed up, Oliver Wood stood in-front of Chase with his hands shoved in his dark-wash jean pockets. "This is for you." He shoved a letter into her hands. "It's from Puddlemere's manager, George Cotwich." Chase couldn't help but notice how gorgeous Oliver looked in his hunter green sweater and tie. " Mr. Cotwich wants me to talk to you about playing for the team. Possibly. Maybe. I know it is really far off. But. When I saw that play the other day." Oliver began to talk a mile a minute. "It was so bloody brilliant. I just had to send it too him! And now they want you to play for the team and start or if you can't start at least write plays for the team! And your progress with Neville is just ridiculous! It's bloody insane! I would never be able to put up with him." Oliver had obviously been nervous about his little speech because he sighed loudly afterward. "So when can we talk?"

Chase stood still. Worried about what to say next. She couldn't say no to the poor guy, even if she had promised herself to never play for Puddlemere. For a split second Chase was worried about being sweaty and disgusting in front of Oliver. For less than a split second she considered the fact that he could possibly have wanted to tell her about something that was not related to Quidditch. But only for part of a second.

"Do you run at all. Because the only free-ish time I have is in the morning. I run. The rest of the team is technically supposed to run with me but no one does." Oliver nodded and agreed to meet Chase outside of the Gryffindor tower at six the next morning.

hr 

"Have you considered signing with any teams yet?" Oliver's cheeks were flushed and his breathing was loud as he kept up with Chase's pace. The air was cold and stung as Chase breathed in. The weather had drastically changed since Halloween. In order for Gryffindor to be prepared to play in their first game in a month, Chase had upped the number of practices a week. She was not going to have her Quidditch team be out of breath because they had not practiced in the cold weather.

"Yea." Chase's ponytail whipped in her face as she turned to face Oliver. Even though she had two layers on, Chase did not feel dressed properly. Only Ansley knew that Chase had considered what she was going to wear for her morning run for about two hours the night before. "I might sign with Stockholm. They already promised me a starting position. So did the Harpies but I don't really want to play on an all women's team."

"Really? Why not?" Chase halted in front of a large rock next to the lake and began to stretch.

"I want to prove that I can hold my own against any male Quidditch player in the pros. I don't want anyone to say 'Oh. She is on the Harpies just because she is a woman.'" Oliver slouched against the rock. "Besides Stockholm sent me a Widget Quidditch Quaffle." Chase announced nonchalantly.

"What?" Oliver's mocha eyes became as big as Bludgers. "A real one?" His hands began to shake with excitement. "Why? Where is it? Can I see it? Can I hold it? Has it ever been used before or did they give you a brand new one?"

"It's real. It's new. And it's in my dorm. Protected by about ten thousand charms."

"I would give my right arm for one of those!"

"Yea well. Maybe you'll get a chance. If Puddlemere ever makes it all the way to the world cup."

"Oh. Have you thought of playing for Puddlemere at all?" Oliver could tell Chase enjoyed pushing his buttons.

"Not really. This is the first time you've ever approached me at playing for you guys. So no."

"Oh." Oliver appeared shocked. He could not comprehend anyone not wanting to play for Puddlemere. "It's a fabulous team. And we really could use someone to write plays."

"I don't want to sit on the sidelines and watch someone preform some figure that I could do better. That's not what I do."

"Seeing as you actually play decently and can write brilliant plays you would be perfect!"

"Decent! Decent!" Chase raised her voice. "How can you honestly say I'm only decent! I proved I'm a better flyer than you and I can out fly Max! I'm better than half the players in the pros!"

"So what you can fly! Anybody can fly well when they have a rich Daddy to buy them lots of fancy brooms!"

"At least I read broom magazines! You fell for my trick! That shows just how much you know about Quidditch! Besides! You have seen me play at practice! And I'll blow you away in the game next month!"

"Get your bloody head out of your ass Rowley! You're not perfect at Quidditch! Quit being conceited for Merlin's sake!" Oliver tugged at his hair and waited for Chase to yell at him.

"I'm not fucking conceited! You are so obtuse! If I was conceited I would not run every morning and practice every possible hour of the day! Your impossible!" Chase took off in the direction of the castle. There was no way in the universe that she was going to sign up with Puddlemere after that explosion. Stupid boys.

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Connor lounged on the couch in the Head Boy and Girl Common Room as she buttoned her shirt. He loved watching her delicate fingers.

"Will kiss me again before you leave?" Connor peeled himself off the couch and walked over to the Common Room door. "Let me fix your tie." Her fingers expertly tied his Ravenclaw tie into a Windsor knot. "I like that better." The blue of her tie matched her eyes perfectly. She was gorgeous. And his. Well. Secretly at least.

"I have to go to the library. That way I have an excuse for not meeting her." Connor kissed her one last time before leaving the common room. "I'll see you tomorrow Emerson." Emerson winked at him as he rounded the corner. She had won. Chase just did not know it yet. And Emerson Keates was not going to let the Quidditch nut find out any time soon.

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Chase could barely make out the sound of the school clock ringing. It was four on a Saturday and Connor still had not shown up. She knew the owl she had sent him had reached him but she had sat next to the lake for an hour and he hadn't shown up. The sun had moved behind the trees and the rock Chase was sitting on was now ice cold. It was the same rock where a week before she had gotten into another argument with Oliver Wood. She had avoided running near it until now. The rock by the lake was the only place Chase knew she would be guaranteed peace and quiet.

Chase pulled her garnet cashmere sweatshirt closer and fiddled with the edges of her too long Rags to Witches jeans. Her California tan had faded, no matter how much time she spent on the pitch. Even though Chase loved playing Quidditch in the rain, she kind of missed California.

The sound of rustling and crunching leaves caught Chase's attention. But she was disappointed. It was only Wood.

"Do you mind if I sit?" Chase had to suppress a laugh as she nodded. She loved his accent. Even if it mad their arguments a little strange because she just wanted to laugh the entire time.

"Whatever." Chase waved her hand to show she didn't care.

"I saw Connor in the castle. Coming out of the Head's Common Room."

"I guess he had school work to do."

"I guess." Oliver contemplated telling Chase what else he saw; a skinny Ravenclaw girl following him and fixing her hair and blouse. He decided in-order to prevent having another argument with Chase, it would be the smart thing not to bring it up. "Do you think you're team is ready?"

"Yes. As long as Harry and Ron don't do another disappearing act." Chase averted her eyes from Oliver's. She didn't feel like admitting how horrible she felt for lashing out at him the previous week. Oliver stared at Chase for a few seconds with out blinking. It was kind of totally adorable.

"I never noticed how little your ears are." Chase's head snapped in Oliver's direction.

"What?" Chase snarled.

"I know that was kind of random. Bloody strange really. But I was just pointing something out." Silence followed Oliver's odd statement. Both Chase and Oliver busied themselves with watching a leaf float on the lake and the ends of their jeans. "Well. I better be going." Before Chase was able to even open her mouth, Oliver was walking away and brushing off grass from his Puddlemere United sweater. Chase didn't bother following him. They had somehow apologized to each-other while just sitting staring at the leaf. Any more conversation would have ruined their truce.

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	22. After Parties Make Quidditch Worth It

Chase Rowley swirled her ponytail between her fingers. It was a nervous habit but for some reason she only did it before games. And this was a big game. She had already strapped on all her gear and was pacing around the locker room. The rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team sat, or trembled in Neville's case, on the benches lining the lockers.

"So. I pretty much suck at this part of the season. The part where I have to be all rah rah and tell you some really inspiring speech about winning and stuff. But. Well. That's one of many things I suck at. I can prepare you for the game but I can't be a coach or anything like that. And I can't play your position for you. You'll all do fine. I have total confidence in everyone of you. Just go do what you know to do. I know we can win this." With that, Chase Rowley, in all her nervousness, marched out on to the field as the crowds started to scream.

Madame Hooch stood in the middle of the field awaiting the two captains so could shake hands. With her team in formation behind her, her Aussie Inc. broom in one hand, Chase shook Zacharias Smith's hand.

"And the match begins!" The commentator announced as both the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff teams sprang into the air. "Gryffindor Captain Rowley reaches the quaffle first makes a complicated turn past the Hufflepuff beaters. She passes it back to Ginny Weasley who dives and flattens as a bludger whizzes past her ear. Gryffindor scores!" Gryffindor and Ravenclaw burst out in cheers and the Slytherin's booed as Ginny sped off triumphantly to the other end of the pitch. "The Hufflepuff Keeper passes the quaffle to her chaser. Beater Weasley sends a bludger in the way of Hufflepuff's chaser. Chaser Lutz catches the ball and hits it with the end of her broom to Chaser Rowley. Rowley passes to Chaser Weasley beneath and flies towards the Hufflepuff Keeper. Weasley passes back to Rowley. Rowley fakes and passes it back to Lutz. Lutz scores!" Once again the red and blue sections of the stands broke into cheers. "The Hufflepuff Keeper passes it to Smith. Smith zooms up the field, dodges two bludgers sent by the Gryffindor beaters, fakes and scores!" Hufflepuff and Slytherin cheered as the Hufflepuff Chaser did a loop in the air. "Keeper Longbottom gives the ball to Rowley, Rowley passes to Weasley and Weasley and Lutz move towards the opposition's goal posts. Rowley hangs back to have a word with Longbottom. No sign of the snitch yet. Potter and Burke are just hovering above the match. Weasley dodges a bludger, passes to Rowley, Rowley scores!" The Gryffindor's began to sing and the Syltherin's attempted to overpower their cheers with boos. "Beater Weasley sends a bludger slamming into Chaser Tanner. Chaser Tanner drops the quaffle and Gryffindor Chaser Lutz catches it! Hufflepuff Beater Watkins blocks her path and she drops it. Hufflepuff Chaser Smith retrives it, spins around Beater Weasley, fakes and shoots! Longbottom dives! Longbottom catches the quaffle! Longbottom caught the quaffle!" Screams erupted from the Gryffindor stands. No one had believed that Neville would ever be able to stop one shot. Only silence came from the Slytherin stands. "Potter's spotted the snitch!" Every player froze on the field as Harry and Burke sped after the snitch. "Potter has a few feet on Burke. He's inches away! He's so close! The snitch sharply changes directions and Potter dives after it! Potter reaches out! He's got it! He's got the snitch! Gryffindor wins!" Harry held the snitch in front of him triumphantly and jumped off his broom onto the pitch. Ron did a few loops in the air before landing next to his best friend. The rest of the team hugged Harry or high-fived him while the rest of Gryffindor house poured onto the field. Chase walked over to the Hufflepuff Captain Smith.

"Good game Smith. That was a quick one thank Merlin!" Zacharias shook her hand and walked away. "Way to be rude." Chase mumbled to herself.

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The Gryffindor Common Room was a bit more crowded than usual. And by a bit, that really means pretty much every Gryffindor student had squeezed themselves into the room. The floor was already sticky with spilled butterbeer and students snacked on the food someone had stolen from kitchens. Students danced to music by the Weird Sisters playing somewhere near the stairs and a few couples snogged in the shadows.

The entire Gryffindor Quidditch team, minus their missing captain, had been carried into the Common Room to celebrate. Ron had actually had enough butterbeer to talk to Hermione openly about his feelings, Neville danced with a pretty fifth year and only Merlin knows where Harry had gotten to. Chase had shown up at the party for about two minutes, long enough to thank people for their congratulations and grab something to eat, before heading up to her dorm. Ginny on the other hand had danced with more than one guy who her brother would not approve of, including a Ravenclaw who had snuck in, and sipped on a cocktail. Gryffindors always throw great parties.

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Ron made his way through the crowd to where Hermione Granger was speaking to a random fifth year. She looked beautiful in a deep purple Mariska Maltin sweater with a glass of something or other in her left hand.

"Hermione?" Ron tapped Hermione on the shoulder.

"Yes Ronald?" Hermione spun around from her conversation with Leah Brandell, a fifth year prefect.

"I hate being called Ronald Hermione! Can't you just call me Ron?" Ron asked Hermione before taking another sip of butterbeer. "Can I talk to you Hermione?"

"Of course you can iRonald/i. Is everything alright?" Hermione followed Ron, who had grabbed her hand and led her to the far corner of the Common Room.

"Did you watch the game today?" Ron sat down but continued to hold on to Hermione's hand. He set his drink down on the floor next to him and stared at it as a careless second year knocked it over. "Bugger off!" The student shuffled away. "And watch where you're walking." Ron's words were not slurred but he had definitely been in better shape before.

"Of course I watched your game Ronald. You were brilliant! No wonder Chase made you a beater. Not that I know a lot about Quidditch, but you did have great aim when you hit the one Hufflepuff chaser." Hermione blushed.

"Thanks. Chase is pretty brilliant. She's also bloody rough on us." Ron and Hermione sat in silence while Hermione finished off her drink. "Hermione?"

"Yes Ronald." Hermione brushed a piece of hair from her face.

"Were you mad at me all summer? Are you still mad at me? What did I do?" Hermione sighed.

"Ronald are you really that thick?" He nodded. "I was furious when I found you and that blonde snogging in your room! You knew I was coming that day. Merlin Ronald! Of course I was angry and now I'm just. Oh. I don't know Ron. I just. I just feel let down by you I guess."

"Oh."

"I was angrier than when you dated Lavender Brown, who is extremely obnoxious I hope you know. I was angrier than when you insulted me in fourth year."

"Oh."

"You are really thick aren't you?"

"Pretty much Hermione. But. I think that you also know that I have no courage whatsoever. Well. When it comes to you Hermione. You're bloody intimidating!"

"Thats all that you think of me? That I'm intimidating? So you'll never ask me to Hogsmeade because I'm intimidating? I've been one of your best friends since first year and I'm still intimidating? Ronald!" Hermione stood up and walked away from Ron.

"But Mione!"

"But what? You should stop drinking Ronald! It's really making you delirious or something!" Hermione folded her arms.

"I should stop drinking. I think my last one had some Firewhiskey in it. But do you still like me Hermione?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then will you go to Hogsmeade next weekend?" Ron pleaded.

"Only if you ask me again tomorrow when you're completely sober." Ron laughed, walked over to Hermione, and kissed her. Maybe Ron drinking isn't so bad after all.

"Of course. You might have to remind me though."

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Ginny Weasley was having the time of her life. She was single. She had just won her first Quidditch match of the season. And she was having loads of fun at the Gryffindor party. Okay. Well maybe she wasn't totally enjoying being single, but she did like dancing with whoever she felt like. Luckily she had seen Ron being led of somewhere by Hermione so she didn't have to worry about him getting upset.

"Ginny! Have you seen Dean anywhere?" Mara Locken giggled. Ginny pointed to the fireplace. "Thanks Gin! Have you seen Harry lately? He seems a little mopey."

"No I haven't." Ginny looked around in search of Harry.

"Well. I think he wouldn't mind if you tried to cheer him up a bit Gin." Mara smiled. She had one too many drinks. "Talk to you later Gin. Sit with me at breakfast tomorrow?"

"Course!" As Mara walked away, Ginny walked through the crowd, searching for Harry. She found him kind of sulking in the corner. "Hi." Ginny sat down next to him and finished off her drink. "That was a great dive today."

"Thanks." Harry swallowed his chocolate frog and smiled at Ginny. "Are you having a good time?"

"Yea." Ginny smiled back and crossed her legs. "How's Ansley?"

"Um. She's fine I guess." Harry clasped his hands and leaned his head back on the Common Room wall. He noticed that Ginny's face was shining and her lips looked especially pink. The entire crowd of people seemed to be dancing or milling around to talk to other people about the match, the party, or next week's Hogsmeade trip. Harry turned to Ginny. "I've missed you Gin."

"I've missed you too." Ginny leaned her head on Harry's shoulder and sighed. "I hate being single." Harry laughed.

"Can we put everything behind us and try again? I know it sounds supper cheesy and all. But bloody hell Gin. I think I might love you." Harry blushed. He leaned over and kissed Ginny gently.

"I think I might love you too Harry. And yes we both sound super cheesy right now." Ginny took Harry's hand and the couple walked out of the Common Room. "Oh. And one more thing. You have to tell Ansley."

"I think she'll be okay with Malfoy around."

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Chase Rowley let herself flop face first onto her bed. She was dead tired. And no wonder, she had just played her first Quidditch match of the season. She had stopped in on the party long enough to grab something to eat and listen to people cheer a little. One of Chase's least favorite thing about Quidditch was the celebrations. Yes she enjoyed winning and yes she did enjoy having people cheer for her but she did not like going to parties where people used Quidditch as an excuse to get pissed. It just bugged her. It just bugged her like nothing else on earth, expect maybe the smell of her great aunt's kitchen. And so there she was. Lying on her stomach, sore and tired.

In an attempt to make herself presentable, she wanted to run down to the scout's Common Room and talk about the game, Chase took a quick shower and got dressed. Well first she had to search through her pile of clothes to find something that wasn't stained.

She tied her shoe lace and stood up to pull her hair back. The writing on her tee-shirt, British Broom Goods since 1607, was backwards in the mirror and her jeans had one too many holes in them--from tripping all the time. As Chase snapped an elastic hair band in place a scratch came from the window. An owl tapped the window until Chase opened it and the owl flew in. It dropped a letter on her bed and without waiting for reply, left the room.

Chase opened the letter with a loud rip.

Wonderful game today! How about a victory lap or two? Meet me at the pitch

-Oliver

Chase smiled, tossed the note on the ever growing pile of parchment next to her bed, grabbed her broom and snuck out of the girl's dorm room.

It was difficult for Chase to stay relaxed. She gripped her broom too tightly as she hid behind a suit of armor when a prefect walked past. Chase had shoved a pair of flip flops into her pockets before leaving the Gryffindor Tower to make her exit not as noisy. It seemed to be helping so far. She hadn't bumped into any teachers and Filch was no where to be found.

Chase rounded the last corner and spotted herself in the set of windows next to her escape route. Maybe she should have consulted Ansley about what to wear. Her tee-shirt was a little wrinkled and her jeans were practically falling down. Oliver wouldn't notice though, Chase reassured herself. He would be too busy talking about Qudditch.

She listened to the door click open and Chase squeezed herself through the door to guarantee that it would not squeak. Once out of the school and a few yards away from any windows, Chase hopped on her broom and sped off towards the pitch. The wind had died down and the sky had gotten a lot cloudier since the end of the game. There were no lights on in the locker rooms, but the pitch loomed ahead in the dark as inviting as ever.

Chase found Oliver Wood sprawled out on a bench in the Gryffindor stand. She stretched out on the bench above him and set her broom down.

"Too damn cloudy to see any stars tonight." Oliver remarked.

"What were you expecting. Its Britain. Not that I don't love the rain or anything." Chase answered.

Oliver sat up abruptly. "Want to fly?"

"Not really. I'm all flyed out if that makes any sense." Chase rolled onto her side and propped her head up with her hand.

"I didn't think you were going to show up." Oliver retied his shoe.

"Why not? I didn't go to the party really." Chase got up and joined Oliver on the lower bench.

"I always thought you would be a partier." Chase laughed at Oliver's comment.

"Yea. Well I am. Just not when it is related to Quidditch. I hate people like that, who just get wasted because they think they have something to celebrate when they don't play."

"Yeah. I know what you mean." Oliver and Chase fell into a comfortable silence as they watched the clouds move across the sky. "I think its important that I tell you something Chase." She swung her head around to look directly at Oliver.

"Yeah?" Chase gripped the edge of the bench. Maybe he was going to tell her that he didn't just like her Quidditch skills. Maybe he was going to tell her that he thought she was beautiful and he felt awful for ever arguing with her. Or that he simply wanted to curl up with her on the Qudditch pitch and fall asleep. Chase had always thought that falling asleep with someone on the Quidditch pitch would be romantic. Yes. Chase is officially a Quidditch geek.

"I've been seeing your boyfriend, Connor I think, around Hogwart's a lot lately." Oliver refused to look Chase in the face. He clasped and unclasped his hands and occasionally wiped his palms on forest green cords.

"He's Head Boy so I don't see how that is unusual, Oliver." Chase shrugged her shoulders.

"But. That's not it. I've been seeing him around Hogwart's a lot lately with a fellow Ravenclaw. I think her name is Emerson... Emerson K something or other."

"Keates? She's in our Astronomy class. She's not very bright for a Ravenclaw." Chase sniggered.

"Well. Remember that day I met you out by the lake. When you were waiting for Connor?" Chase nodded. "I think its important for you to know that I saw them leaving the Head's common room. Together and well lets just put it this way. Connor and Emerson didn't exactly look like they had been studying Astronomy." Oliver glanced up at Chase. She had her eyes closed.

"Is this true." She pressed on her eyelids with the thumb and index finger of her right hand.

"Of course it is. I would never lie to you."

"Are you sure." Chase's sputtered. She started to breathe quickly and she clutched her chest. "Are you kidding me. You've got to be joking." Oliver stood up suddenly and touched Chase's shoulder, she swerved away.

"I'm not. I promise. He's a bloody bastard and I'm sorry Chase. But I thought you ought to know." Chase stomped up the steps of the stand and claimed her broomstick.

"The entire time! I'm so stupid!" Chase was having a fit and crying hysterically. She was angry enough to beat Oliver up. Watch out Ollie, I hear she's got a mean right hook! "I'm going to kill him! The lying asshole!" Oliver followed Chase as she hurtled down the many steps to the pitch. Thunder rumbled ominously nearby and rain could be heard tap tapping against the side of the Gryffindor stand. The rain water made Chase's hair look darker than usual and her Qudditch tee-shirt became splattered. Chase took a deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. Chase spun around. "I'm sorry if it seems that I'm mad at you."

"Its okay." Chase and Oliver sat simply looking at one another. "I jut thought that you should know, and last time we talked you were a little angry with me." Chase closed her eyes again and took a few more deep breaths. Oliver grasped Chase's shoulders and kissed her roughly. Chase tensed up in his grip as he continued to kiss her. Her eyes snapped open and Chase shoved Oliver away.

"Why now?" Tears mixed with the rain on Chase's already damp face. After taking a few step backwards with her eyes still plastered to Oliver, Chase turned around and ran towards the castle.

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The Slytherin Common Room was over crowded. Ever single student who had been to the Quidditch game was moping in one form or another. Whether it was Pansy Parkinson complaining to Diane Nott and Millicent Bulstrode about Ansley Kerr and her good for nothing half-blood best friend or Linney Brooks claiming to Rushford Wills that Madame Hooch had been bribed by Neville Longbottom's grandmother to charm the quaffle to never get too close to her grandson. It was easy to tell that the entire Slytherin House was upset about Gryffindor's win earlier in the day. Well, all of Slytherin House except for one. Ansley Kerr.

She had holed herself up inside the depths of her thick comforter in the Seventh Year girl's dorm and was secretly celebrating Gryffindor's win. Ansley had already sent off a note to Chase to wish her congratulations and write all about how angry the rest of the Slytherins had become.

Ansley changed into a pair of Cupid royal purple sweat pants and an old Vicker's Academy tee-shirt before joining the "party". A bottle of Firewhiskey was being passed around and a few couples cuddled in the corners but very few people talked. The group was essentially comprised of fifth, sixth, and seventh years, with an occasional "cool" fourth year mixed in. The younger students had already headed up to bed to commiserate with one another with out the Qudditch team near by. They looked especially intimidating that evening. Draco was lounging on an over stuffed green and silver edged arm chair with Pansy and her posse lurking in the shadows. Ansley took a seat across from Draco and let her feet hang over the chair's arm.

"You know Draco." Pansy drawled, "Ansley's little friend is the reason for Gryffindor wining." Pansy grinned. "I bet she's happy for her too. Because Ansley is a blood-traitor." Ansley shrugged. Draco didn't even glance towards Pansy.

"I am happy for Chase. She is my best friend, not that you would be able to comprehend that concept Pansy. And besides Slytherin wasn't playing therefore, I can cheer for whomever I want. Even if you don't approve." Ansley arched her right eyebrow and slowly smiled at Pansy. That girl was so thick.

Pansy huffed and crossed her arms. "I'm going to bed." She squealed. With a nod of her head, Diane and Millicent followed Pansy to the dorm. All of the younger girls noticed Pansy's departure and followed suit. There was no way they were going to side with Ansley Kerr in an argument against Pansy.

Draco swung his head towards Ansley. "You really should attempt to be on her good side once in a while." Ansley twisted a strand of hair around her finger.

"I honestly do not care what she thinks of me or my friends. I thought you knew that already."

"I do know. But if you're going to be here the rest of the year, you have to play by some of the rules."

"I haven't up until now, I don't plan on changing my friends or personal views anytime soon for some stupid pure-blood slut." Ansley slipped off the armchair and left a disgruntled Draco behind. Couldn't she just be a normal Slytherin for once?

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hey people!

I always love the first Quidditch game of the season. Not that I actually know all the rules and understand the finer points of the game, but there are lots of aspects that I like about Quidditch. For example, cute boys in their Quidditch uniforms, an empty castle all to yourself if its too cold, and of course the after parties. I stopped by Gryffindor's naturally because they of course had a bloody good party since they won and all. And Merlin do I have some gossip for you! I'll get back to that in a moment. The music was great, the dancing was fun, and the refreshments were delicious! I'm sorry if you were not lucky enough to go to the party because you either a) are not a Gryffindor or b) not a popular enough member of another house to score an invite.

But parties are not the only thing about Quidditch that I love, I'm also a big fan of all the cute weekend winter wear one can show off at a Quidditch match. If you don't already have a pair of cashmere gloves in your house color, with a matching hat, then get one. And a great pair of leather all weather boots always look cute underneath a pair of designer jeans, preferably Cupid or Arriman Q. Quidditch is always sweeter when you look stylish.

bSightings/b

I was under the impression that HP was smitten with AK. But I guess I was wrong. HP and GW were seen sneaking off late last night. One of my many reliable sources walked in on them snogging! Are HP and GW back together? I'll guess we'll find out for sure in the coming days. Speaking of getting back together. I guess in their case its getting together officially for the first time. HG and RW were also seen snogging in a dark corner. Can you say finally? What took them so long! And finally, CR was seen flying off towards the Quidditch pitch hours after the game finished. Why? No one really seems to know, well yet at least. Her beau was in the Ravenclaw Common Room all night so there is no way she could have gone to meet him. Is there someone else who has stolen CR's heart? I'll let you know as soon as I do!

I hope to have more details for you soon!

you know you love me,

gossip girl


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